I won't Give Up
by XxToToXx
Summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun! COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Story title**: I won't give up

**Author**: XxToToXx

Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same.

**One**

"Will you stop drooling?" Lu Ten asks in laugh while he pours himself a cup of coffee, "You're going to mess all the floors up. The janitors just polished them last night. I don't wanna slip in your drool either."

Zuko continues to look through the large glass window at the woman below as she crosses the busy street to enter a cafe on the corner. Her caramel skin seems to glow in the sunlight and her chocolate hair flows around her in waves. He doesn't know her name but she goes to that same cafe a lot.

The first time Zuko saw her he bumped into her and her drink almost spilled on him. He was about to give the person a verbal lashing until he saw those big, blue, beautiful eyes staring up at him. Zuko never really believed in angels until that day when he saw her. She's absolutely stunning! She left as quickly as she came. He was too stunned by her to say anything. Zuko guesses that she was late for something. It's been two weeks since the last time he's seen her. He would only catch glimpses of her from his office. Every time he's able to go after her she doesn't show up. When she does show up he's stuck doing something at work. One day he went to the cafe and asked the barista about her. The guy doesn't know her name or anything about her. All he knows is that she loves frappes.

"I'm not drooling." Zuko says coolly. "I'm just looking." He turns away from the window and sits in his assigned seat. Lu Ten sits across from him.

"How does she look anyway?" His cousin asks.

Zuko Leans back in his seat. "She's beautiful."

"How beautiful?"

"Gorgeously, ethereally, anciently beautiful."

Lu Ten whistles. "So what's stopping you from going to her? If she's as beautiful as you're telling me and if it were me I would've been tracked her down. She's right there in there cafe! Go get her!"

"I can't this morning. My father and the others are almost here and you know how he is about people skipping out on company meetings." Zuko says. "Every time I'm able to go to her she isn't there, now I can't get to her and she's there."

At twenty four years old Zuko should be living out his twenties partying and having fun, getting drunk every weekend and touring the world. Instead he's here working at his fathers company, Agni Corp, as a Vice President. His father is the CEO and his grandfather is still the chairman. Lu Ten settled for being an associate Vice President. He says that it's less work and more fun because he gets to interview women.

Anyway, Zuko spends five days a week in his office with old bats who smell like old spice and Cuban cigars. His baby sister Azula would've been senior Vice President by now had she chosen to go into the family business. Instead she's in school to be a lawyer. Their father had no objection, Azula is destined to be a lawyer. Who would want to go up against her?

He sighs.

"It must be important. Ozai never comes to things like this, he'll usually just send somebody in his place." Lu Ten rears back in his chair.

"From what I heard some of the shares plummeted. That's probably why Ozai is here in person."

"Yeah. So, what if that girl already has

A guy already? What if she's already in a relationship?"

"I don't care."

"Look alive!" Lu Ten whispers as he frantically attempts to tie his tie. "They're here already!"

Zuko slicks back his hair and straightens his topknot. He adjusts his suit and straightens his tie. His father is strict when it comes down to impressions. He looks at Lu Ten whose still struggling with his tie. He reaches across the table to help him but he ends up pulling the tie too right.

Lu Ten gasps for air. "Too tight! That's too tight!" Zuko loosens it and the other man sighs. "That's better."

Ten minutes into the meeting Zuko is fighting his sleep with every bit of strength in him. Lu Ten hides behind Zhao with his head propped up on his hand. He's fast sleep and luckily for him Ozai hasn't caught him yet. To restrain from falling asleep he looks out at the passing cars and people in the busy streets.

He's just about to turn away when he sees a flash of white and brown. He sits up in his seat high and sees that it's the mystery woman! She's sitting on the bench out in front of the cafe.

This is his chance!

He looks towards the front of the room where his father is still lecturing and them back down at the woman. Minutes fly by as he looks from one to the other.

Which will he choose?

Will he choose to stay in this meeting room bored to death with old rich men and listen to his Lu Ten snore for three hours? Or, Will he choose to leave this godforsaken room and go catch that beautiful butterfly that's been on his mind for weeks?

His father or the woman?

He looks at the clock. Five minutes have passed already. He looks out the window. She's still there!

Zuko figures that this may be his only chance. He stands quickly, almost knocking his chair over. All eyes turn on him and his father gives him a warning look.

"I...uh, that sweet roll I had for breakfast isn't really agreeing with me." Zuko places a hand on his stomach. "I really need to be excused before I-"

"Just go!" Ozai roars with a wave of his hand. The outburst jolts Lu Ten from his slumber. A trail of drool slides down his cheek.

Ozai doesn't have to tell Zuko twice. As soon as he leaves the conference room and turns the corner he dashes to the elevators. He knocks coworkers out of his way as he goes.

"Dammit!" He curses when he skids to a stop at the elevators. Its surrounded by people and what makes it even worse is that it's ready going down to the first floor, he would have to wait at least four minutes until it comes back. He stands there impatiently waiting for it to come back up. Jin, the secretary from the third floor looks at him strangely.

"Are you alright ?"

"I'm fine!" Zuko unintentionally snaps. "I mean, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern jin." He says softer.

Him only looks at him before returning her eyes back to the elevator.

"Shit!" Zuko curses again. He decides to take the stairs instead. He's way on the seventh floor but he's ran track in both high school and college. He darts to the stairwell and takes them two and sometimes three at a time.

That track practice really paid off!

Then he slips not once, but twice.

Then he stumbles down the last few steps. The quickly picks himself up and runs across the floor to big double doors of the buildings entrance. Zuko squints his eyes from the bright sunlight. It's lunch hour and the city people are swarming everywhere. Cars are parked alongside the streets with coin meters on side of them. The birds are chirping and pigeons roam the streets looking for food.

Zuko heads to the cafe. The woman is still there, but she's gotten up from the bench to throw away her empty cup. Zuko skits across the street while trying to say out of the cars way. The drivers honk and curse at him, but Zuko doesn't care. He finally makes It to the woman but her back is turned to him. Today she's wearing a short black dress with a sleeveless denim vest and black sandals.

He can see a good bit of her body, the dress shows off all of her curves and her wide hips and thighs. Her legs are long and lightly toned, they're flawless in Zuko's eyes. The wind carries the sweet smell of her perfume to his nostrils, she smells wonderful. When she turns back to him Zuko almost loses his tongue again. The sunglasses she's wearing are hiding her eyes from him this time. She only stands as high as his chest. Zuko notices the partial sleeve tattoo on her arm. It's very colorful and bright, he wonders if she has more.

"Good evening." He clears his throat. "I'm Agni Zuki. I mean I'm Zuko Agni!" He holds out her hand for her to shake. She looks down at his hand cautiously before she shakes it.

"Im Katara." Her voice is light and melodic and her hand is fairly warm. There's a thik accent behind her voice, but Zuko can't pinpoint what it is. She pulls her hand back.

"That's a nice name. Do you uh, you come here often?"

That was so lame Zuko.

"Yeah, sometimes. I think I've seen you around."

"You kind of almost spilled your drink on me."

"Oh." She frowns. "Sorry about that"

"Did you only want to tell me good evening and stuff? If so, I would like you to move out of my way so I can leave."

"Uh, actually I didn't." He says, "I saw you from across the street-"

"-You came from the burger joint?"

"What? No! I came from Agni corps."

Her eyebrows rise and her mouth forms in the shape of an 'o'. "So a spoiled, privileged, former high school jock wants to talk to me? Don't I feel special." She pulls her sunglasses to the top of her head and peers at him.

"I ran track in high school and I'm neither one of those things. Well, privileged a little but that's not the point." Zuko says. He's never had a female this complicated before. With his last girlfriend all he had to do was tell her that he wanted her and she was his.

Katara brushes past him and heads to her car. Zuko follows. "I just wanted to know if you'd like to hang out sometime." He scratches the back of his head

"Hang out?" She pauses and turns around. "You're a stranger and for all I know you might be a serial killer and a rapist. Frankly I'm not ready to die just yet. Preps aren't really my type anyway. No mans my type."

"I'm no prep! I've got like thirty pairs of ripped jeans and every Three Days Grace album." Zuko presses. "What do you mean no mans your type? I am trying to get with a lesbian?"

She gets into her fancy looking black car, Zuko doesn't know what it's called, and looks up at him dryly. "There are too many fine men in this world for me to ever think about lying with another woman. I'm no lesbian, and I don't plan on dating anyone."

"Look, we don't necessarily have to date. I'm just trying to get to know the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my entire life."

She stares at him for what seems to be an eternity before she goes In her purse and pulls out a small white card. After starting at it for a few seconds she hands it to him.

"I have a rehearsal session at the theater Friday. I'll be there from six til eleven, you can come and see me there if you want."

Zuko looks down at the card. "Alright, I'll be there."

He watches as she starts the car and drives off. Zuko usually hates Mondays but seeing as though he's made progress on this Monday, he love them! Nothing can bring him down today!

"Zuko Agni!" Zuko cringes at the booming voice, he slowly turns around. His father and his league of men are standing on the steps. Ozai doesn't look too pleased. He sticks the card in his pocket and slowly makes his way over to the other men.

He's made progress today, and Zuko thinks it's worth his fathers scolding.

**.0.**

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	2. Chapter 2

**Story title: I Won't Give Up**

**XxToToxx**

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same.**

**Two **

_Where do broken hearts go?_

_Can they find their way home Back to the open arms of a love that's waiting there_

_And if somebody loves you_

_Won't they always love you_

_I look in your eyes and I know that you still care for me_

There are a few applauds in the theater when she finishes singing. She gives them all a smile before turning back to the pianist, who happens to also be her best friend, Aang.

"You get better and better everyday if you ask me." Aang says. He cracks his knuckles an grins at her. "Your vocals are so powerful and angelic, they are just through the roof!"

Katara smiles as she drinks from her water bottle. She's been very talented in singing and dancing since as long as she could remember. Shes been singing since she was able to open her mouth up and talk. As for the dancing, she started while she was very young. She has a sturdy support system of friends and close family members, exclude her father from that system. Her older brother has always stepped in and gave her that fatherly support. The Theater is a place where people of multiple talents come from different parts of the city to practice their specialty. Katara was introduced to the place by Jet, he doesn't come around anymore though.

"Thanks Aang, I've got three songs down now. I was up all last night until like three in the morning just writing." She pulls out her tablet and flips through the pages to show Aang her work. Aang and her brother are the only ones she'll ever let read her writing.

"What are they about?" Aang asks, "Are they about anything different?"

Katara frowns and closes her notebook. "They're all about the same things. I don't think that'll change anytime soon."

Aang reaches and holds her hand. "Let's not think about that, well..." Aang scratches his messy brown hair. "I think it's best to think about it because it influences your singing for the better. Wanna go again?"

"Do you have time?" Katara looks at her watch. "It's nearly eight already, I doubt Gyatsu will tolerate you being late again."

Aang sighs. "You're right, but these overnight shifts are starting to kill me." He

stands and grabs his jacket off the back of his chair.

"It'll pay off one day, graduation is only a few months away." Katara takes his spot at the piano. "Still thinking about throwing that party?"

"I don't know," Aang checks his phone. "I might not."

"You only turn eighteen once. When I graduated high school I got wasted." Katara recalls. "I still can't remember all of it."

"I'll think about it." Aang shrugs. "I better get out of here before it gets too late. I'll text you as soon as I make it, alright?"

Katara nods, "Bye Aang." He smiles at her as he walks out the door.

She sighs and strums her fingertips along the keyboard. She's just starting the first part of Moonlight Sonata when she sees a familiar face approaching her from the stands. It's the guy from Monday, the one who she told to meet her at the theater. She takes in his black leather jacket over a fitted white T-shirt. He wears a loose fitting jeans and black and shoes. His hair his still up in it's topknot, and Katara wonders exactly why she told him to come see her.

The better question is why'd he even come?though she has to admit he looks pretty good tonight. She wipes it away from her mind, she doesn't plan on dating anyone anytime soon.

"Mozart?" He asks. Katara looks up at him while still playing.

"How'd you know?"

"I've taken some extra curricular courses back in college. I didn't really take you as the type for classical music."

"Well, what type did you take me for?" Katara stops playing. Zuko looks her over, Katara refuses to fidget under his intense stare. All she's wearing is a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt with boots, she doesn't as extra today.

"When I first saw you you looked like the sweet and innocent type, like a pixie." Zuko sits in the chair beside her. Katara gives him a dry look with raised eyebrows.

"A pixie?" She asks. "Are you serious?"

"As a matter of fact I am."

"I suppose first impressions are everything, even though you did nearly spill your coffee on me." Katara stands and throws on her jacket.

"You bumped into me," Zuko counters. "You were in such a rush with your little frappe-"

"-Actually it was a large chocolate chip frappe with extra cookie crumbles and light

chocolate drizzle." Katara fixes her hair and slings her messenger bag over her shoulder.

"You're leaving?" Zuko asks when she takes a few steps away from him. Katara turns back to him.

"I was thinking about getting a hot chocolate from the cafe. I'm guessing you'll join me?" She asks. She smiles when he joins her and the two head out the theater together. It's kind of windy outside and the temperature is at least in the forties. Katara stuffs her hands into her jacket pockets. She and Zuko walk along the sidewalk to the cafe that's a few streets away. Out the corner of her eye she sees Zuko pull out his phone and check it.

"Do you have somewhere else to be?" She asks, "Does your girlfriend know you're with another woman?"

Zuko does a double take at her before putting his phone back in his pocket. "I don't have anywhere to be. I don't have a girlfriend, there's no problems there."

"Why don't you have a girlfriend?" Katara asks, she nudges her shoulder against his as they walk. "Who wouldn't drool over a smooth future business mogul?" Honestly, Katara doesn't believe that Zuko is single. His looks tell her otherwise, and frankly she doesn't even know why she invited him tag along. Maybe it's because she doesn't sense a bad aura from him or maybe it's because she didn't want to go alone for a change.

"Well, I'm not a mogul in the making first of all. Secondly, it didn't go too well in my last relationship."

"How long were you two together?"

"A year."

Katara only nods and doesn't say anything, she doesn't want to pry. Zuko nudges her arm with his own. "What about you?"

"I was with someone for three years." She says quietly. Zuko watches her expression the entire time.

Zuko's eyebrows raise. "What happened?"

"People change and things aren't always what they seem. You think you know someone and then..." Katara shrugs and pulls into her jacket once more. Zuko sees that it's something she doesn't want to talk about.

"I see." Zuko nods. "He doesn't seem too bright, seeing as though he let you go and all."

They are quiet the rest of the way to the cafe. Zuko wishes to know more about her but every time he tries she brings up a huge wall around her and changes the subject. When they make it to the cafe he orders for her while she looks on with interest. Now they sit on a stone bench in the park, looking into the dark depths of the lake as they drink their drinks.

"How'd you know I like hazelnut?" Katara takes a sip from her hot chocolate. Her face heats when she feels the warm liquid travel down her throat to the pit of her stomach.

"I didn't, but who doesn't like hazelnut?" He asks. She looks at him out the corner of her eye. So far she's enjoying the other boys company. He is polite and well mannered, he doesn't overstep his boundaries, a bit bad with his jokes but he's a pleasant personal all the same, not to mention really good looking. The moon light makes his skin appear to be alabaster. His strong cheekbones stand prominent and his sharp nose is a little red at the tip. She wonders if he's more than just fire nation, maybe he's mixed with some other ethnicity like she is. She's half water tribe and half Persian, but the Persian race died out a long time ago. Those backgrounds explain her dark hair and mocha skin. Her eyes forever show the truest part of her which she values the most, the sacred southern water tribe.

"How many tattoos do you have?" He asks suddenly. Katara looks at him and he looks back, his eyes on her upper arm.

"How many have you seen?"

"Just the one on your arm, I didn't really get a good look at."

"Six." She sips her chocolate. "What about you?"

"I have two."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really. Do I not look like type?"

"As a matter of fact you don't." She says lightly. "What are they? Where'd you get them on you?"

He looks at her with mischievous eyes. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Katara sniggers into her cup.

"That was cliche wasn't it?"

"Yes it was." She laughs.

"But you laughed." He chuckles. "This is nice for something that's not a date."

"It's not a date." She confirms as she looks up at the crescent moon.

"Right, it's not a date but it's still nice." Zuko tosses their empty cups into the trashcan. "Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday, probably not."

"What? No date with your boyfriend?" Zuko teases.

"Nope, no date with my boyfriend." She says. "Probably because he doesn't exist."

As they walk back to the theater Zuko runs a hand through her long hair. "Why not?" He asks. "You're talented and beautiful, a bit standoffish and sarcastic but that only makes you more fun to be around."

Katara looks at him as they pass the random people along the street. "I can't open up to everyone I meet."

"Understandable." He doesn't argue about what she's told him. He respects her boundaries and honors them.

"This nondate was pretty nice." Zuko says when they make it to her car.

"Yeah, it was." Katara agrees. "I almost thought you wouldn't show."

"I don't lie. I wouldn't have missed it anyway." He watches her get into her car. He closes the door for her as she starts up the smooth engine. "Would you mind if I called you sometime?"

Surprisingly, the woman who doesn't like to show too much emotion took his number instead. Zuko didn't have a problem with that.

"Goodnight, Zuko." She flashed him one last smile before pulling off.

"Goodnight, Katara." He says Into the night wind.

When Katara makes it to her two story home in a upscale subdivision she sees that her older brother awaits for her on her front porch. Sokka is her older brother by two years, yet he acts as If he's twelve sometimes.

"Where were you?" He asks when she passes him to go info the house. "I was worried sick."

"You were so sickly worried you tried to eat away your worriedness?" Katara puts her hands on her hips and looks around her large kitchen. Pizza boxes are everywhere along with chip bags and candy bar wrappers. She goes to the pantry to see that it's been completely ram shacked.

"I was hungry too!" Sokka objects. "That's not the point Katara, you said you'd get back here for ten, it's twelve now!"

"I went to the cafe and then I went to the park. I didn't know that that was a crime in the Big Brothers Book of Law." She turns and says sarcastically.

Sokka has always been a tad overprotective. In high school and in college guys were too afraid to even look at her too long, lessing on asking her on a date and talking to her. Ever since the last situation he's been going to extra measures to make sure she's safe at all times. He comes to her house every day and sometimes he spends the night in one of the guest rooms. He insists that she calls in everyday to make sure she's alright. Katara can't blame him, she would be the same way about her baby sister. Who else in this world does she really have besides Aang and Sokka? Her and her fathers relationship isn't at it's best point right now.

"Would it kill you to pick up the phone and call me?" Sokka continues, "I thought I was gonna have to call the FBI."

"I'm fine, I'm alive and I'm tired." She drawls with a sigh. "I'm going to bed." Of course he follows her up the stairs.

"Were you with Aang?"

"No."

"Toph or Suki?"

"No, I was not with Toph or Suki."

"Then who were you with?" He presses. Katara sighs.

"I was with a friend, and that's all you'll be knowing for now."

"A friend? What friend?" Sokka's eyebrows come in together. "A boy?"

"Yes Sokka, it was a boy. You don't have to worry," she pulls out a tank top and a pair of sweats from her dresser drawer, "That's all he is, he's only a friend."

"What's this friends name?"

"His name is none of your business. Sokka, just let it go."

Sokka looks at her with pursed lips before he sighs and tightens his wolf tail. "As long as you got home safe and sound. Just make sure you let me know something, alright?"

"Alright, and I'll be sure to look for a Gps chip to stick in myself so you'll always be able to find me in case I'm in need of assistance."

"Hahaha, very funny." He fakes a laugh. "I'm serious though. Next time let me know something."

"I will. Geez, I'm twenty two and still have to report to my older brother." She plops down on her bed. "Don't I feel so mature?"

"We've had this discussion already, and I'm not getting into this again." He covers his ears and turns away.

"Sokka, grow up." Katara sighs. "If you don't mind I'd like to go to bed now."

Sokka turns back around and drops his hands. "Alright, alright. Suki's probably looking for me anyway." He goes over and hugs his sister. "Don't forget we're going to the movies tomorrow night alright?"

"I did forget, but I'll be there." She promises. She watches him set the house alarm and get in his car and back on out of the driveway. Katara changes into her night clothes and plays around on her phone. Aang never texted her to tell her he made it to work, she figures he forgot. She listens to slow music until the rest of the night. Her mind goes over the happenings from earlier and turns on her side with a sigh.

"What are you doing Katara?" She asks herself. "Why are you doing this to yourself again?"

For the hundredth time this year she cries herself to sleep, and she curses herself for letting her past affect her present decisions.

**.0.**

"ZuZu had a date." Azula announces smugly as she slices her mango on her plate a week later at the once a week family breakfast. "That's what Lu Ten said."

Zuko turns to his left and gives his cousin a dark look. Lu Ten behaves as though he can't feel the intenseness of Zuko's glare.

"Oh really?" Ursa, his mother, beams with excitement. "You have a girlfriend? Tell me about her! What's she like? Is she pretty?"

"She's not my girlfriend, and it wasn't a date." He throws the last part of his sentence at his baby sister. Azula only smirks back.

"It's about time he makes some children!" Uncle Iroh chuckles, "you three kids have gotten a bit old!"

"Is this the girl who you skipped an important meeting for?" Ozai lowers his newspaper to peer across the table at his son. "If so I would just love to meet her."

Lu Ten laughs into his orange juice, "I wanna meet her too. Zuko says she's the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. As a matter of fact," he sits his glass down and places his hands over his heart. He casts Zuko a dreamy look, "She's beyond beautiful!"

"Even more beautiful than Mai?" Azula questions. "I'm sure the poor girl will feel offended."

"You know I never did like that Mai girl too much." Ursa waves her hands in the air, "I've always said she wasn't the one for my boy."

"Just who is good enough for ZuZu? He's barely good enough for himself..."

"Shut up Azula!"

"Make me."

Zuko throws a fireball across the table at Azula, Ozai extinguishes it before it could hit it's target. He waves a finger at his children, "No fighting at my table!"

Azula smirks. Lu Ten laughs and Iroh pours himself more green tea.

"Zuko, what's her name? Where's she from? Oh, I'm so excited! Darling, we're going to have grandchildren!" Ursa tells her husband and claps her hands. "This is so exciting! I'm going to go call Azulon!" Ursa excuses herself and clicks into the foyer to call Azulon. Zuko groans and slumps in his seat.

Ozai sighs.

"What's the matter nephew?" Iroh laughs heartily, "trouble in paradise already?"

"There is no trouble!" Zuko stands abruptly and slams his palms on the mahogany table. "There isn't a paradise! We're just friends, I'm not getting her pregnant and she's not my girlfriend!"

"Then you want her to be?" Azula asks. "Mai won't like this."

"I don't care what Mai likes and what Mai doesn't like! I'm not with her and Katara is not my girlfriend!"

"Katara?" Iroh asks.

"Not yet." Lu Ten says. He turns to his uncle, "He really has the hots for her. He's been trying to get to know her for weeks-ouch!" Lu Ten rubs the back of his head where a slap was inflicted upon it by and aggravated Zuko.

Ozai raises an eyebrow. "Zuko, a bit of advice."

"Yes father?" Zuko settles back down in his seat.

"Don't knock her up."

Zuko kicks a random rock along the poolside. Despite their good reputation his family is very overbearing, especially when it comes to his love life. Before he left the dining room he overheard his mother on a conference call with all of her friends from the book club. She was telling them something about baby showers and wedding invitations. Zuko sighs.

They blow everything out of proportion.

He hasn't even talked to her or seen her since that night in the park. Here it is another week. She hasn't called or texted him, she hasn't been to the cafe and he hasn't seen her at the theater. It's like she vanished into thin air. Zuko was surprisingly content with her company, and she's mysterious but in a good way. He can tell she's holding in her emotions for some reason, he won't push her to open up to him. Her company is extremely pleasant and he wishes that thy didn't have to part so soon.

Besides him on a lawn chair Lu Ten pecks away at his iPad, he sighs.

"What's with you? Seems like you lost your best friend or something." Lu Ten says in a bored tone.

"Nothings wrong!" Zuko snaps. He rubs his face and sighs.

"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say Zuko. Did you get Azula anything for her party?"

"Am I supposed to?"

"She's your little sister. I would think it would be good to get her a gift."

"I'll find her something later."

"The party isn't until tomorrow night. I have all day today and half of tomorrow." Zuko says. "What did you get her?"

"A watch." Lu Ten replies. "It's from her favorite store."

"Oh."

"I think Mai will be there."

"Don't remind me."

"That'll be awkward."

"You think so?"

"You should call that Katara girl and see if she wants to come." Lu Ten sniggers. "I bet that'll be fun."

"..."

"You haven't talked to her yet have you?" Lu Ten looks at him.

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"She hasn't called or texted me yet."

"Don't tell me you're scared of her."

"...Of course I'm not!" Zuko objects.

"Then why haven't you called or texted her? What all did you guys do that Friday?"

"Nothing really." Zuko says. "I went to watch her perform-"

"-she's a stripper?"

"No! At least I don't think she is." Zuko's eyebrows come in together. "She sings, she's actually really good too. She dances also although I've never seen her. She's single and all..." He sighs, "she's just a big mystery to me though."

Lu Ten stands and stretches. "Believe me cuz, every woman is a mystery. Well, if she's as amazing as you're making her out to be to me you should go with your move."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't wanna rush her into anything."

"Well what do you want from her? Do you want a relationship or do you want a one nighter?"

"Frankly I don't know myself." Zuko falls back in the chair. "This is confusing."

"Zuko!" Ursa calls from the balcony, "Do you think your fiancé likes red velvet? I was thinking red velvet and buttercream for your wedding cake! Doesn't that sound nice?"

Zuko groans.

Zuko skips out on joining Lu Ten and the others downtown and decides to stay in instead. He lives in a high rise condo in the heart of the city, what makes it even better is that he has the entire floor to himself. He could've been living back at the mansion with his family but seeing as though his father kicked him out after he made eighteen...

Yet Azula is twenty years old and is still there.

He decides to take it in early tonight, even though it's just half past ten and it's the weekend. He lays in his bed with his television on the sports channel. He isn't watching it though. Instead he's watching his phone and is waiting on it to light up or ring. He scoffs. He feels like a little school girl whose waiting on her crush to call her.

He can't but feel some type of way. The first time he saw her, it was like she was like she cast a spell on him.

He never felt that type of zing with anyone.

Just as he says 'fuck it', his phone rings. He picks it up. Speak of the devil.

It's Katara.

He spends seconds looking at the screen. It rings three and a half times before he answers. He clears his throat.

"Hello?"

"Zuko?" Her voice is light and pleasant over the phone. "Are you busy?"

"Uh, no. I was just sitting here."

"In the dark right?"

"No, not in the dark." Zuko says. "I thought you disappeared from Earth."

"Why'd you think that?"

"I haven't been seeing you and I haven't heard from you since that night."

It's a minute before she says anything. "Yeah, I've been kind of busy. Some things came up and I had some stuff to deal with."

"Oh." Zuko clears his throat, he was never this nervous while Mai or any other woman he's been with. "That's...cool I guess."

"What about you? What have you been doing?"

"Working and such. Are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

"That depends, why?" She asks. He can almost hear her smiling. "Are we going on another nondate?"

"Well, kind of. It's my sisters birthday party and I wanted to know-"

"-You have a sister?"

"Yeah, she's turning twenty one tomorrow." Zuko sighs.

"I have an older brother." She says with a low laugh. "It's just the two of us and our dad."

"What about your mother?"

"She died when I was ten."

"Sorry to hear that." Zuko says sincerely. Though he won't push into the subject.

"It's fine." She says lowly. "What did you get your sister for her birthday?"

"I haven't gotten her anything yet."

"Why not?"

"Honestly I don't know what to get her. I haven't been to any stores yet. What would you get a girl that already has practically everything?"

"Get her something from the heart."

Zuko scoffs.

"Her birthdays tomorrow. You should start early in the morning and get her something good." She says suggestively.

"I'll go in the morning if you come with me."

_Yes! Real smooth Zuko!_

"I'll help you." She says finally.

"Another nondate?"

"Yes, another nondate."

**.0.**

"My cousin thinks you're a stripper." Zuko says as they enter the swinging doors to the mall. Katara looks at him strangely and then back down at what she's wearing. Today she has on a beige shirt sleeved cardigan, a white tank too and a pair of short denim shorts. Her hair is in a messy bun and she doesn't have on any makeup. Zuko sees another tattoo on her left thigh, it appears to be a ships anchor and steering wheel. Her legs are long and slightly toned, they resemble the color caramel.

"Do I look like a stripper?" She asks. "What? Is it my clothes?"

"No, I only told him that you dance. He came up with that assumption on his own." Zuko reassures her. "Don't worry, I know you're not a stripper."

"Oh." She turns back forward. "What's wrong with being a stripper?"

"Well, nothing if you ask me-"

"-Would I make a good stripper?" She laughs at her own question.

"You may make a good stripper," Zuko says awkwardly. "A pretty good stripper probably..."

Katara gives him a look and goes on ahead of him.

Zuko tries not to stare at her backside.

They must've went to twenty different stores. Katara, her being a girl and all, directed him to all of the girly stores. Zuko forgot all about Azula's gift a couple times. He was more distracted by Katara who flits around the stores looking at various items. Zuko isn't the only one who has his attention set on her, practically every male she passes stops and stares. Zuko musters up his infamous glare and scares them off.

"These are great." Katara points at a pair red ruby encrusted golden dangle earrings in the jewelry store. They also have the matching necklace and bracelet. "You can even get an inscription on the bracelet, it'll be like putting a little piece of your heart into it."

Zuko examines them. Azula does like jewelry even though she doesn't wear it too often. She's such a perfectionist and is so professional she often misses out on the fun of life. He decides on that jewelry set, he sees Katara flash a smile. It leaves as quickly as it comes.

"What would you put as an inscription?" Zuko asks with a pen poised on the paper.

"That's something I can't help you with." Katara fiddles with a necklace around her neck. "Just put what your heart tells you to put."

Zuko thinks for a minute before he starts writing.

He shows it to Katara and she nods in approval. "That's perfect."

**.0.**

Zuko scowls as he stares down at the pool from the balcony. The bodies below move to the beat of the loud music that's being played. Plates of party food and red cups filled with liquor are everywhere. Women are in the pool with skimpy bathing suites on, done stand around the body of water chit chatting with their friends. Men toss around a football and fist pump to the music. Zuko doesn't really like parties. They're too loud and disturbing. He drinks from his cup of sake and retreats back downstairs. He's still a bit bummed that Katara declined the offer of coming to the party. She said that she really isn't the party type.

On another note, Azula loved her gifts from him. Surprisingly to him and everyone else she praised him openly for the entire party to hear. She put the jewelry on to wear the rest of the night.

"Zuko!" A chipper voice calls out Zuko's name. He looks to see Ty Lee back flipping her way towards him. She wears a burgundy and gold two piece bathing suit. Ty Lee is the most hyper person in the entire world. She talks a mile a minute and is as goofy as all outdoors.

"Hey Ty."

"That jewelry set you got Azula is really pretty!" She stands upright and dusts of her hands. "That was so thoughtful of you!"

"Thanks. I had some help from-"

"-Zuko." A cold voice says from behind him. Zuko mentally cringes. He knows who the voice belongs to.

"Oh hey Mai!" Ty Lee waves at her friend happily. Zuko turns and looks behind him. Mai stands there wearing a one piece bathing suit that's covered with a sheer kimono. Her hair is still in it's traditional bun and her eyes are as cold as ever.

Mai is his ex girlfriend. They dated for a year and a few months before they had to break things off. Mai was too controlling, overbearing and a tad boring. She would always accuse him of cheating and she would pick fights at the worst times. Mai said that he was too busy with work to have any time for her, which was a total lie. The breakup was a while ago and yet Zuko still tries to avoid the knife throwing girl at all costs. She didn't take the breakup too lightly.

"Hey Mai." Zuko greets her. Ty Lee looks from one to the other. The intenseness of their auras make her shiver.

"I'll give you two some privacy." The acrobat flips away quickly, her small league of suitors follow her. Zuko curses the girl for leaving the two of them alone.

"How've you been?" He asks.

Mai's eyebrows rise. "You mean before or after you broke my heart?"

"Let's not get into that tonight. It's my sisters-"

"- I know it's my best friends party."she curtly cuts him off. "I'm considerate of others, which is more than I can say about you."

"It wasn't going anywhere. It just wasn't working out and you know it."

"Oh, you're right. It wouldn't have worked out, especially with you fucking your secre-"

"-Zuko! Zuko! Someone's here for you." Chang and Lu Ten walk up to them. Chang is blushing madly, something that only happens when he's beyond drunk. His clothes are completely soaked from driving in the pool fully clothed. Lu Tens hair is down and he's in nothing but swim trunks.

"Why didn't you tell us you invited her?" Lu Ten asks as he steps to the side revealing Katara. She's wearing a black two piece bathing suit. Wrapped around her hips is a sheer mesh asymetrical skirt. Zuko can still see her curvy hips and thighs. Her waist it small and her stomach is flat. Her navel is pierced and there's a tattoo of something running from one hip to the other. Her hair is up again in a messy bun and her face is makeup free except for the eyeliner around her eyes. As the boys eyes wander her body Mai elbows him sharply.

"Zuko, whose this?" She asks curtly.

"This is-"

"-This is Katara!" Lu Ten says rather proudly. "Katara, this is Mai."

Mai looks Katara over with calculating eyes and pursed lips.

"It's nice to meet you." Katara says in a friendly tone with underlying amusement. Her blue eyes flicker to Zuko.

"This is the chick you've been tryna' get for all this time?" Chang slurs, "Man, she's hotter than you said is!"

Lu Ten sniggers. Zuko slaps his forehead.

"What?" Mai narrows her eyes at Zuko.

"Let's go." Zuko takes hold of Kataras hand and pulls her away from the group. He takes her through the crowd of bodies and up onto the balcony, which just happens to have pool. He's relieved when he sees it hasn't been taken over by partygoers. He closes the sliding glass doors behind him and sighs.

"That was your ex girlfriend?" Katara asks from her spot at the table.

"How'd you know?"

"It wasn't that hard to miss." Katara replies. "She made it so obvious. Plus your cousin already told me everything. He doesn't seem to have a filter on his mouth."

"I don't even wanna know what he told you." Zuko goes over and sits down in the chair across the table from her. "I'll have to ask him about that later."

"Did your sister like her gifts?"

"She loved them. She liked the inscription the most." Zuko remembers. "She has them on now too."

"That's good. Glad I could help." She looks around. "Nice house."

"It's not mines, it's my parents house. I live in the city."

"In a condo, am I right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know that?"

"You look like the type."

The rest of the night they talk alongside the pool. The more Zuko talks to her Katara let's out a little more about herself. She's still a bit guarded with her emotions, he wishes he knew why. She likes the beach, she loves writing and signing and dancing. Her father is a cop and her brother is about to work for the CIA. Her favorite food is pizza and she loves the winter. She's half water tribe and half Persian, which Zuko finds very interesting. She a waterbender too, a master waterbender at that. Zuko sees a preview of her abilities when she pulls him into the pool using a giant water whip.

"You don't like the water?" She asks as she floats around on the water completely content.

"It isn't my most favorite thing in the world." Zuko grunts as he swims to the pools edge. Katara follows him easily.

"I forgot how fire benders fear water." She says.

"I don't fear water!"

"You should." She rests her head on her folded arms and looks up at the moon.

"I didn't think you'd show up. I thought you weren't coming."

"I got done handling my business early and I had to find something to entertain my boredom." She flashes him a small teasing smile. "Besides, Lu Ten is pretty happy I'm here for you." She gestures her behind them towards the glass doors where Lu Ten has his face pressed against the glass. He gives Zuko a thumbs up and roots him on.

Zuko's eyebrow twitches. He coughs, "Sorry about that."

"It's fine. I don't mind it, he's trying to help his little cousin out."

"We're only a few days apart."

"He says that you're hooked on me." She turns her head to face him, "Am I your drug Zuko?" She falls out laughing rather hysterically and Zuko can't even be mad at her because this laugh isn't forced, it's pure emotion, happiness and it's genuine. Her smile stretches from ear to ear and the deep dimples in her cheeks are shown.

To see her happy, it makes him happy.

He splashes water at her, and she sends a mini tidal waves back that send him to the other side of the pool.

"Sorry, sometimes I forget my own strength." She says as she pulls him back to her, a bit closer than she anticipated. He's just a few inches away from her, one wrong move and his lips would be on hers.

Not that he would mind or anything. He clears his throat.

"You're nervous." She sings. He wonders if she sounds like an angel to herself because she sure sounds like one to him.

"No I'm not."

"Every time you're nervous you clear your throat." She says back. "Or you run a hand through your hair."

"I guess you can say that."

"What are you nervous about?" Her eyebrows come in. "Your ex girlfriend?"

"No! Of course not! It's not her, really." What made her get that idea? "Why would you think that?"

"Probably because she's been giving you the death look all night." Katara shrugs. "She doesn't like me, she thinks I'm your girlfriend."

"Mai doesn't like any female who comes within ten feet of me."

"I can't blame her. What are you nervous about then?"

What does he say? Does he tell her that he's too scared to ask her out on a real date because he's afraid of possible rejection?

"It's uh...I wanted to know if you're free tomorrow. We could...do stuff."

Do stuff? Smooth Zuko, real smooth.

"Stuff like what?"

"We can have dinner or go for a movie."

"It's a date then." Says.

"What?" Zuko doesn't believe what she's just said.

"I said it's a date."

On the inside Zuko is doing a victory dance."That's...great. I'll pick you up at seven." She gives him her address and Zuko can't help but allow his eyebrows to rise.

"Seven it is."

He smiles. She smiles as well.

.0.


	3. Chapter 3

**Story Title**: I won't give up

**Author**:XxToToXx

**Full summary:After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same.**

**Three**

"It's been a month and a half since I've met Zuko Agni." Katara says lowly to herself with her pen positioned on the paper. "What the hell am I doing? This isn't supposed to be happening again."

She slumps back in her chair and sighs. In the past month and a half Zuko has been the perfect gentleman to her. The nondates have turned into official dates, most of them in her favor. He's sweet, a tad corny, he's dependable and strong and smart. Yet, the man does have a temper. Katara doesn't like the fact that she's enjoying Zuko's company more than she should. She doesn't like how she so comfortable around him. She doesn't like how he makes her feel. She'll have to start distancing herself from him. It'll be better for the both of them.

She sighs.

She's alone in the theater tonight. Everyone else has already left for the night. Katara chose to stay behind because she finds it easier to work when she isn't as distracted. She strums her fingers over the keys fluidly and pushes everything to the darkest corner of her mind before she opens her mouth to sing.

_You say it loud_

_But I can't hear a word you say_

_I'm talking loud_

_Not saying much_

_I'm criticized_

_All your bullets ricochet_

_You shoot me down but I get up_

_I'm bulletproof_

_Nothing to lose_

_Fire away fire away_

_Ricochet take your aim_

_Fire away fire away_

_Shoot me down_

_But I won't fall_

_I am titanium_

_Shoot me down_

_But I won't fall_

_I am titanium_

_Cut me down_

_But it's you who has further to fall_

_Ghost town haunted love_

_Raise your voice_

_But sticks and stones make break my bones_

_I'm talking loud_

_Not saying much_

_I'm bulletproof_

_Nothing to lose_

_Fire away fire away_

_Ricochet take your aim_

_Shoot me down_

_But I won't fall_

_I am titanium_

_Shoot me down_

_But I won't fall_

_I am titanium_

_I am titanium_

_I am titanium_

_You shot me down_

_And I fell_

_Thought I was titanium_

_You shot me down_

_And I fell_

_I Though I was bulletproof_

_I would run down the street bare feet_

_If I could write my destiny_

_I can't accept you being over me_

_But when it comes to you_

_I'll believe anything_

_Just like when I believed she was nothing_

_She was something_

_You went running_

_How you gonna do me like that?_

_I still want you back_

_Man I still want you back_

_I should praying for better things_

_Instead of praying for a man_

_Who don't give a fuck about me_

_Sometimes they do come back_

_And sometimes they don't_

_Sometimes the love will last_

_But sometimes it won't_

_They tell you that they love you then_

_They turn around and leave you there_

_It isn't right_

_It isn't fair!_

_I can't believe you left me here_

Katara slaps her hands down on the keyboard. She wipes her wet eyes and stands from the piano, her mind brings many memories that she doesn't want to remember.

"I see you still haven't worked on your anger." A masculine voice says in humor.

She knows that voice. She whips around to see a man standing in the stands. His brown hair is messy and his dark eyes show pure mischief. He's wearing all black and the straw in his mouth jiggles a little as his tongue plays with it.

"Jet." She growls lowly and pulls water from the air around her. She forms it into ice daggers and prepares to strike.

"Wait, hold up a second!" Jet puts up his hands in defense. "I didn't come here to fight you!"

"I don't care!" She sends the daggers flying at him with full force. He quickly dodges out of the way.

"Look Katara, I only came here to talk to you. I didn't come for another fight. Honestly, I just came to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about." She gathers her things. "I don't have shit to say to you."

"Can we just be adults here?" Jet asks. "C'mon, you're behaving like a child!"

"Oh, now I'm the one behaving like a child?" Katara looks at him in surprise. "Look whose talking! I don't even know why you're here. Shouldn't you be somewhere on tour with your band, doing concerts and fucking smellerbee?"

"Smellerbee is nothing to me alright? I've told you that already Katara. I'm on vacation, is it a crime to come and check up on you?"

"Yes it is!"

"I'll just get straight to the point since you clearly aren't thinking straight. Both me and my manger wanna know if you're ready to join the band. He says the industry will still pay you the two million for the record deal-"

"Like I told you two years ago, no." She moves towards the exit. "Screw your band, screw your money and fuck you."

Jet grabs onto her arms when she bumps past him. She jerks her arms away. "Don't touch me ever again!"

He stares at her in disappointment. "What do I have to do to prove to you that I'm sorry?"

"Sorry? You think sorry can make up for what you did to me? You think that can take it all away? I had to go to jail because of you, I was almost killed because of you!" She punches and slaps his chest with every word. "Not to mention, you were sleeping around with my little replacement smellerbee."

"Alright Katara, just calm down-"

"-You think it would've stopped there but it doesn't. My car, destroyed! My house? set on fire! All because of you and your dog ways!"

"I know all that already! I fucked up and I said I'm sorry! You make it sound like I never loved you Katara. I still love you and everybody makes mistakes!" Jet defends himself.

"No one makes the same mistake three and four times." Katara glares at him. "Just leave me alone Jet."

"Katara?"

She keeps towards the entrance.

"Katara! Come back here!"

This time she doesn't stop.

She won't allow him or anyone else to hurt her ever again.

**Read and Review **


	4. Chapter 4

**Story title**: I won't give up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary:After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same.**

**Four**

"Kataraaaa!" Sokka whines across from her at the dinner table when she takes the last honey butter dinner roll. She breaks the warm bread in half, the steam that's trapped on the insides wafts up through Katara's nostrils.

"Here." Katara gives her brother half and keeps the other half for herself. Sokka takes it happily and chows it down. Besides him Yue drinks from her strawberry martini. Her father Arnook goes over military tactics with Hakoda. Aang and Toph are bending utensils, much to the restaurant staffs dismay.

It's Friday night and Sokka just asked asked Yue to marry him. The look on the girls face was priceless, and to make things even better, Sokka had no problems speaking in front of an audience. Yue shed tears of happiness, and her father was even surprised. He didn't think that Sokka would ever work up enough nerve to pop the question. Katara watches the diamonds glint in Yue's engagement ring glints in the light.

Katara would've been married by now.

She doesn't tell anyone about Jet being back in the city, the way Sokka threatened him the last time he saw him...

"What about you Katara?" Her fathers asks after taking a drink from his wine.

"What about me?" She stabs at her cake.

"Well, are you going to go back to work anytime soon? You've been out for a year now and you're missing out on all of that money."

Sokka shakes his head. "She isn't missing out on anything, she's still living off that million dollars-" Katara kicks him as hard as she can under the table. Sokka howls out in pain and Yue looks rather interested in what he has to say.

"What million dollars? What's he talking about?" Hakoda questions.

"Nothing, those tequila shots are going to his head." Katara eats her desert.

"Have you considered going back and getting your doctorates degree Katara?" Arnook asks. "You know, the more schooling you have that's the more money you make."

"I've been trying to get sugar queen to enroll in BSSU for two years now. She turns me down every time." Toph says.

"Me too," Aang agrees. "I even did the polarpup face"

"Or you can come join the CIA with dad and me. I got in with honors!" Sokka half slurs proudly. Hakoda ruffles his hair.

Katara stabs at her cake.

"You can't live out your days doing nothing Katara." Hakoda presses.

"I already do stuff everyday."

"That theater place? Katara, let's be reasonable. That isn't going anywhere, that's not what you want to do with your life."

Hakoda is obviously blind at Katara's talents. He's always been that way and tries to continue to push her down the path he wants her to go. Hakoda doesn't know about the situation with Long Hung. The only people who know about that are Sokka, Aang, Toph and Yue. That was two years ago, Katara hasn't seen the man since.

"I think that Katara has a lot of potential." Sokka takes up for his sister. "She's great."

"Of course she's good, but being a doctor is her calling." Hakoda states. "Not many are good enough to actually make it in the music world, you know that. It's best she sticks to her studies, trying to get in the industry would only be a waste of time."

Katara pauses. Toph and Yue frown deeply while Aang holds her hand under the table. She pulls it away and stands, gathering her purse and jacket in the process.

"Dad..." Sokka says in a disapproving tone. Arnook sighs.

"What?" Hakoda asks.

"Katara please don't go." Yue attempts to stop her from leaving. Katara leans down and hugs her friend.

"Congratulations on your engagement. I can't wait to be your maid of honor." Katara says.

"Katara? Katara! Come back here!" She can hear her father calling her as she passes through the tables and goes out the front door. It's freezing cold tonight, she pulls her jacket tighter around her as the wind nips at her neck. Walking up the sidewalk she quickly unlocks her car and gets in. Sokka startles her when he jumps into the the passenger seat.

"Why do you always do that!" Katara pushes him in the shoulder. "You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry! But you can't leave, come on back in. He didn't know what he was talking about." Always Sokka trying to smooth things over between her and dad.

"I'm leaving. I'm going home and I'm going to sleep, he's the last thing I need right now."

"katara..."

"No, I never wanted to come here anyway. I should have been after you proposed to Yue and she said yes. I'm not going to be kindly insulted by him, and in public at that!"

"Yeah that was shitty but you can't keep running away from that." Sokka says softly.

"Mom wouldn't have done that."

The car is quiet for a moment before Katara starts the engine and turns on the heat. She sees Sokka staring at her with mixed emotions out the corner of her eye. He sighs before opening the car door.

"Just make it home safe alright?"

Katara doesn't say anything. As soon as Sokka is out of the car and closes the door back she zooms off.

**.0.**

"Fuck it all to hell!" Katara pushes the two now empty bottles of vodka aside and huffs in frustration.

She throws the phone book down on the floor and stares at the contact in her phone. It's raining cats and dogs outside, plus she and the rest of the block have no electricity, her phone is almost dead and to too everything off she has an interview at the university at ten in the morning. She can't call Sokka and Yue because they've left for Suki's parents house in the islands. Aang is at work and he isn't allowed to use a cellphone at all, and Toph is away at her parents as well. She could always go to her fathers house, but she refuses. It's been a week since that night at the restaurant and she still isn't in the mood to speak to him.

She finally works up enough nerve to dial Zuko's number. It's been approximately six days since she's seen or talked to him. She doesn't take it personally, he's a business man. Business men get busy a lot. It's one in the morning and she guesses the reason that he's taking so long to answer is because he's sleep. When he finally does answer his voice is sleepy and soft, Katara will never admit that that's her weakness. He's confused as to why she's calling that late as well. She tells him her situation and he says that she can come and spend the night.

Feeling a bit dizzy she still manages gather her things up in a duffel bag. She takes her clothes for tomorrow, toiletries, and everything else she may need. The drive to Zuko's apartment is a dangerous one. The rain is falling so heavy, not to mention the hail that's the size of tennis balls. She curses herself as she rubs her eyes, she shouldn't be on the road when she was just drinking liquor. Pulling into the parking lot slowly and carefully Katara sees that Zuko's apartment building is very luxurious. The grass is bright green in the street lights and cut to perfection. There's a gate to get into the actual building too, and other fancy schmancy things.

She hurries out of the car with her duffle bag and rubs as quickly as she can in the rain without falling. She inputs the number in the gate Zuko gave her and luckily the iron gate opens quickly. She wrings out her hair once she's in the hallway of Zuko's apartment. She sends the water into a nearby plant and pushes her hair back from her eyes. Katara knocks on the door three times before Zuko answers.

He must've went back to sleep after she talked to him because when he opens the door he's still half asleep. He wears nothing but long black and red pajamas with no shirt. His broad chest is shown off for the world to see. She tries not to stare at him. Instead she looks in his eyes.

"Hey." She gives him a small wave, he barely nods back before extending the door open more. She steps in and sees that the inside is pretty big. In the dim lighting she can see a large flat screen over the fireplace in the living room. The kitchen is connected to the living room and there's a hallway next to it. Katara feels Zuko take her hand after he closes the door behind her. His hand is warm where hers is cold and clammy. He leads her down the hallway to the second door. He opens the door and flicks on the light. Katara goes inside to see a bed, a dresser, two nightstands and a tv on the wall.

"You can uh, stay in here tonight. You'll have your own bathroom."

"Thanks."

Zuko grunts in reply and closes the door. Katara guesses that he's not too happy about waking up out of his sleep. She strips off her wet clothes and pulls the water from off her body and sends it down the sink in the bathroom. She stumbles three times as she pulls of her jeans and jacket. She changes into a fresh pair of underwear and bra, she never was one to sleep in pajamas.

The bed is cold but it's cozy. Katara pulls the sheets up to her chin and she falls asleep almost as soon as she closes her eyes. She doesn't know how long she was asleep before the loud crash of thunder woke her. She jumps and throws the cover off of her. Her heart is racing and she's in fright. Katara loves the rain, but she absolutely detests thunder. It scares her to oblivion. There's no way she'll be able to sleep, the noise won't stop. After the six clap of thunder she's had enough.

She slips out of bed and into the the hallway. It's dark except for the light that shines over the stove in the kitchen. She slowly pushes open Zuko's door. His curtains are pushed back in the room, he has a whole wall that's fully glass. The falling rain is beautiful along with the full moon. The moon casts a soft glow into the room and illuminates ehatever catches it's light. Zuko's room is huge, it's like a bedroom and a living room all in one.

She pads over to his bed and sits besides him. The comforter is draped around his waist and his arms are folded under the pillow. His head is turned towards her. The light makes his pale skin seem to glow. He looks so peaceful in his sleep, it's totally different than from when he's awake. He's hard to figure out sometimes and has kind of a bad temper and on top of that he's not big on discussing his feelings, save the day they first met.

She watches him breathe easily and evenly. The muscles in his back rise and fall like clockwork. Katara's hesitant hand moves and brushes some hair out of his face, he doesn't even stir. She shakes him gently on the shoulder, no response. Another crack of thunder shocks her, she manages to withhold her scream.

She shakes Zuko again. "Zuko, Zuko wake up." She says it louder this time and his eyes snap open.

"Katara?" He looks at her in confusion. "What's the matter?"

"I just, I don't like-" another crash pierces her ears and she covers her face. That one was louder than any she's ever heard before. "I don't like the thunder." She finally says. "Can I just stay in here until it stops?" Zuko grumbles a reply but he moves over to the other side of the bed.

Katara slides in and pulls the sheets and comforter up to her neck. Zuko's bed is really warm and cozy. It smells like cinnamon and ginger, she buried her head in his pillow. Thunder roars through the sky and she jumps. As soon as another hit comes she let's out a terrified gasp.

This time the bed shifts and she feels strong arms lock around her body. Zuko pulls her back into his chest and Keeps her there. She freezes for a moment, deciding on if she should move or not. She can't, she knows she can't even if she wanted to she couldn't. She feels like tingling in her stomach and a heart starting at her cheeks.

She feels _safe._

Zuko's arms are tight around her stomach and she can feel his chin at the top of her head. "It can't hurt you." He says.

Katara sighs.

"What has thunder ever done to you?" He muses.

"It's too loud, it's too destructive and it's too scary."

"Scary? So she does have a weakness."

"Shut up." She says. Thankful that her back is to him and he can't see her smile. "Sorry I had to wake you in the middle of the night like this."

"Where did you come from exactly?"

"Across town from the Sawangoa Lakes."

"Sawangoa Lakes?" He sounds surprised, "What do you do exactly?" For the entire time they've been knowing each other Katara hasn't told him about where she lives or what she does for a living. She always avoids the question when he asks.

"I told you. I'm living out my life before I get old and grey."

"I'm asking," Zuko sits up a bit in the bed but his arms don't move. "Do you work?"

"No."

"No school?"

"I've enrolled into the university already. My classes start next week. You must be wondering how I can afford to live in an area like and have that kind of car without having a high salaried job." She laughs lightly.

"I thought about it a couple of times."

She turns in his arms and stares him dead in the eyes. "I stole a million from my ex boyfriend."

"Wait, come again?"

"That's what I said, I took it and I spent it. I bought a house and a car and I paid off all my debts." She collapses back on the pillow.

"Have you been drinking?" Zuko sniffs the air a bit.

"Yes."

"You were drinking and you drove out in that weather?"

"Yes."

"Katara, are you crazy?"

"Yes." She says in a sigh. The two bottles of vodka completely takes over her body now.

Zuko clears his throat. "So, uh. Why'd you take the money?"

"That's really a story for another time." She says in exasperation.

"I see."

She turns to face him. She's shocked at just how close they are to one another. He notices it too because his eyes flash down to her lips before going back to meet her stare.

She doesn't know who made the first move, it almost doesn't matter. Zuko's hand reaches up and rests on the side of her neck. His thumb caresses a tender spot that makes a heat stir between her legs. She doesn't know who moved first but that kind of doesn't matter. In a instant their lips are locks. It feel good, the feeling of his soft lips parted over hers. It's slow and sensual and Katara leans in further. He tastes like chocolate and cinnamon.

She should stop.

_They should stop._

But she can't stop. Her fingers move to his neck and she pulls him down to her, his body covers hers perfectly and her legs automatically arch up around him. His lips move expertly over hers. He bites, kisses and sucks on her bottom lip before she finally let's him in. Her entire body is on fire and her breathing is a bit labored as his tongue fights for dominance over hers. A moan escapes her lips when his hand strike the outside of her thigh. He freezes a moment before pulling away. She instantly misses his warmth.

"Uh, sorry about that." He scratches the back of his head. "I didn't mean to do that."

Katara frowns as she hears his words. "Yeah, me too." She shuts her watery eyes and attempts to fall asleep.

**Read and Review**


	5. Chapter 5

**Story title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary: **After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same.

**I REDID THIS CHAPTER ITS NEW!**

**Five**

Katara looks across the table at her brother. He's devouring a plate of sweet rolls, often stopping to add more icing to them before he digs back in.

"I suppose you're wondering why I bought you here today." Katara stirs her drink with her straw.

"I thought you just wanted to buy me food. I'm not complaining." He says with a mouth full.

"No, you just happened to be hungry at the same time as me." She covers. "But really, I have some news."

Sokka belches, Katara sighs but she smiles. "What's the news?"

"Well, I got into Midiro Institute. I'm taking up anesthesiology."

Sokka's eyes bulge. He reaches across the table and engulfs her in a big bear hug. "That's great sis!" He releases her and Katara tries to regain her normal breathing. "Wait, I hope what dad said that night didn't influence your decision."

"It didn't, but I hate to admit that he was kind of right. I need something to occupy my time besides the theater. I'll still live freely and enjoy my life while I can but I'm just trying to fill in these empty holes." Sokka nods at her words. Sokka, Yue, and Aang are the ones she can tell anything to. Toph is sometimes on the nonchalant side and is very sarcastic, Katara would rather not express to her.

"I understand, so what about that guy?"

"What guy?" Katara asks dryly. "Who?"

"That guy who you were going out with. I don't know his name because you never told me." Sokka says in an accusing tone. "I wanna check him out."

"There's nothing to check out." She's lying through her teeth as she picks up the desert menu. "How about we share a banana split? It'll be just like the old days. Frankly I could go for some beef stew and rolls, it's like forty degrees-"

"-Don't try to coax me with food! You can still go ahead and order it though. But still, what? Did you guys break up or something?" Sokka pats his stomach.

"Firstly we were never together." She says. She waves the waitress over and gives her their order. Before the woman leaves she gives Sokka the look, he completely ignores her as he finishes off his sweet rolls.

"Secondly we are just friends." She leans back in the boot and remembers what happened a few nights ago. She shakes her head, it would be better if they just keep their distance from each other.

"So you wanted to be more than friends?"

"No! I don't wanna be more than friends with nobody." Katara says back quickly. She sighs. "Let's just drop it alright?"

Sokka looks unsurely for a second but he lets it go. The waitress comes back and brings them their food. She leans extra close to Sokka when she puts his banana split in front of him.

"Extra whipped cream and chocolate syrup, just like I thought you'd like it." She says in a sultry tone. Katara raises an eyebrow and Sokka is completely oblivious. It took a brick to the head and a near death incident for him to realize the mutual feelings between him and Yue.

"It's great! Thanks." Sokka picks up a big chunk of his desert with his spoon.

The woman stays. Katara watches her with a look. Katara is protective of her brother and Yue, they're both her best friends. For once Sokka has someone who truly loves him for him and Yue has found someone who makes her happy. They're even getting married soon, but this skeezer just looks past Sokka's engagement ring. How disrespectful and obvious can one be?

"Do you know you're ogling at a married man?" Katara asks. "I mean, did you not see that engagement ring?"

"Katara!" Sokka chokes on his cream.

"What?" She shrugs. "It's true!"

"A wedding ring means nothing to a man that's willing." She says back curtly as she switches her hips when she walks away.

"Did you see? Did you hear what she did?" Katara breaks a bread roll in half. "The nerve of her!"

"Alright, calm down Madame fussy bridges."

"It would've been even worse if Yue were here." She states. "But whatever..."

"So, do I still get to take my sister out to the movies? You know, like the old days back before we had all of this technology." Sokka quickly changes the subject.

"If he promises to buy her all the snacks that her heart desires." Katara smiles, then she pauses. "You know Jets back."

"What?" Sokka's eyes widen. "How do you know?"

"He came to the theater a couple of nights ago. Speaking of theater-"

"Wait, what did he say? Did he hurt you? I swear, if he laid one hand on you I'll kill him myself!" Sokka slams his fists down the table. The condiments fall over and tumble at the action. Sokka has a big disliking towards Jet, most because of the things that guy put his little sister through. Sokka always told Katara that Jet was no good, she wished she would've listened to him back then.

"No, he didn't touch me. All he said was that he's here on vacation and his manager still wants me."

"What? Alright, thats it. I'm moving in with you today." Sokka stands and throws on his jacket. "There's no way I'm letting you sleep there alone."

"Sokka, no." She states, he pauses.

"Well, you're coming to stay with Yue and me. There's no way I'm leaving you alone like that."

"I'll be fine, really. I've got alarm systems, cameras, and there's no way he can get into the community without going through the guard. You helped me pick the house remember?"

"Did you buy the gun?"

"What gun?"

"The gun I told you to get like two years ago!"

"Sokka, I'll get a handgun and a couple of rifles too if that makes you feel better."

"I'm only a few blocks away, it wouldn't be much trouble to-"

"- it'll be alright Sokka. Can you please just sit down so we can finish our food like normal people?" Katara rubs the bridge of her nose. Sokka reluctantly sits back down and stares at her a bit before stabbing his spoon into his split.

"Still Katara, I wanna know where you're at at all times. I don't want things to happen like the last time." He says with a mouth full.

Katara freezes. "It won't."

**.0.**

Today has not been the best of days for Katara. This morning she got pulled over for speeding, she spilled her frappe all over her blouse, she caught a flat going across the bridge and had to wait hours to get it fixed. The mechanic was a greasy, perverted man who hit on her the entire time. She lost her phone and had to go and buy a new one, only to find the first one she thought she'd lost. Now, as she stands by the dressing rooms in her favorite clothing store she figures that this day can't get any worse.

Mai stands in front of her and blocks her path. She's wearing dark clothing and her skin looks paler than ever. Her eyes are so cold and criticizing, just what's her problem?

"You're Katara right?" She asks dryly.

"Yes. We saw each other at Azula's birthday party." Katara tries to sound nice but she knows it's coming out strained. She grips onto the clothing that's slung on her forearm.

"Right." Her eyes narrow and her frown is just about permanent.

Katara sighs and tries to go around her into the dressing room. "Now if you don't mind-"

Mai stops her by a mere side step. "Actually I do mind. I mind you a lot. Stay away from Zuko."

"You and Zuko aren't even together. You're starting to play of the roll of the bitter ex girlfriend, well I guess you're a girl. I don't know."

Her golden eyes narrow. "I know who you are, what you are to be exact. A thieving, drug trafficking Blood bender. Wonder what Zuko will have to say about that."

Katara doesn't flinch. She doesn't move a muscle but her jaw tightens. "Tell him." She shoves her aside and slams the door when she enters the dressing room.

**.0.**

The next day she's at the cafe that's right by Zuko's job. She's looking through the newspaper at local job listings when Zuko walks in. He doesn't see her, probably because she's way at the back of the cafe. She can see him but he can't see her. He comes in with Mai, figures. She can't help but feel the all too familiar sting in her heart when she sees the two together. She attempts to brush it off as she takes a swig from her frappe. She watches as Mai attempts to cling onto Zuko's arm, he doesn't look to happy about that. The two leave out the place with their streaming cups in hand.

It is what it is.

Katara has no say so over Zuko's life.

Why should she feel bad? Her and Zuko aren't even together. She refuses to sulk over this.

"You know she didn't do that until she saw you were here." The waitress, her names TenTen, comes and sits across from her wjth a basket of fries. "I see everything."

"Like I care." Katara goes back to her newspaper. TenTen purses her lips and crosses her arms. "I don't care about them."

"What?" Katara asks. She looks up at the other girl. TenTen's dark hair is pulled up in two braided buns at the top of her head. Personally Katara thinks it looks better that way.

TenTen shrugs. "That must be the guy that likes you."

"He doesn't like me, well you can see that. That's his ex girlfriend, she doesn't like me much." Katara recalls the day Mai practically cornered her in the clothing

"Screw her, if you want him go get him."

"I don't want him."

"Oh, stop!" TenTen pours ketchup over her fries. "Look, I only get a twenty minute break. Spill it Tara, whose that guy anyway?"

"His names Zuko Agni."

"Agni? You mean heir to the-"

"-Yeah, Agni Corps. Ozai's son."

TenTen whistles. "He got a brother?"

"No."

"Cousin?"

"Yeah, they almost look exactly alike."

"Good, I want him."

Katara looks up at her in confusion. "What? You haven't even met the guy."

"Well I'm going by on what you said. You can make this happen!" She reaches across the table and gently shakes Katara's shoulders. "Please? A favor for an old friend."

Katara sighs. "I'm not doin' that!"

"I can manage you a couple of free frappes and morning buns."

"For how long?"

"Three months."

Katara scoffs. "Make it a year."

"Alright, fine. Just put in a good word for me. Hook us up!"

"Alright TenTen." Katara finally says, "I'll push you two together."

"Yes!" TenTen chimes. "Oh, I gotta get back to work. Fugako's mood isn't at it's best today. Call you later, alright?"

"Alright." TenTen slides out of the chair and rushes off to the back. Katara goes back to her paper. She freezes when she finds something that may work out for her. She pulls out her cell phone and dials the number.

The managers name is Tahno, and he schedules her for a interview Saturday night at an exclusive club downtown named Sinn. From the way he talks Katara thinks he may be a bit flamboyant but she doesn't want to make assumptions. She's relieved, now she can have something else to occupy her time

Saturday night comes and she's in her bedroom with Toph and Yue. Toph plays around with her cellphone while Yue rummages through drawers. Katara's bed Is littered with clothing, she's decided that it would be best to wear club clothing for her interview as a bartender. She's already flattened her hair and did her makeup, now all she has to do is find something to wear. She stands in her walk in closet with her hands on her hips as she looks at the

"Maybe I'll just wear all black. It makes me look smaller." Katara tells them as she pulls a short black romper from the hanger. She's never worn it before. She almost forgot that she had if. It has a halter top, the bottom part are shorts that stops at her mid thigh and it's bodycon, meaning it fits kind of tightly. She quickly slips it on and zips it up. It sure fits a big snug.

"Black and blue? Or red? Actually I was thinking about the gold more than the blue and red..." Yue says back.

"Does it matter what she has on? It's a nightclub!" Toph says. "What she has on has nothing to do with getting the job."

"It means everything!" Yue corrects. Katara walks out into the room and sits on her bed. She puts on the jewelry that Yue has selected for her. Katara trusts her expertise because the girl is going to school for fashion, she's doing really well too.

"Remember to be happy, and keep a smile on your face. Stop all that frowing too, you'll get lines." Yue says in the foyer. "And call as soon as it's over."

"And bring back food." Toph adds.

"I have a pantry and fridge full of food Toph." Katara says as Yue combs out her hair in the mirror. "There's frozen pizza, TV dinners, ice-"

"-Exactly. Did you hear what you just said? The keyword is frozen, but I'll still eat it. Just bring back more."

"Okay," Yue steps back. "Spin." She twirls her finger in a circle. Katara spins, heels clicking on the marble floor.

"Perfect." Yue clasps her hands together.

"I gotta go before I'm late. I'm supposed to be there before the club opens." Katara says, hands on the doorknob opening it.

"We'll be here, eating you out of house and home." Toph calls out as Katara gets to er car.

"An remember to play nice!" Yue adds. Toph gives her a look.

"She's going on a job interview, it's not her first day of school."

"I know but still, she's growing up on us."

Toph sighs.

When Katara makes it to Sinn the bouncers let her in with no problem. Everything is black and blue, and the glowing blue bar runs along the four walls. Neon lights are already flashing and music is playing lowly. There are three levels to the club, Katara almost finds it scary. The second and third levels peer down to the bottom floor. Each level has it's own bar, but Katara can see that the lights on the third level are red. Looking closer she sees the glass that's securing it.

"That's the VIP section. All red and black everything. Only the best of the best are able to get in there." A smooth voice says behind her. She turns. A pale man stands there with dark purplish hair that's slicked to the front with a curl on the side. His eyes are dark grey and he wears a very expensive looking black suit with a bright blue undershirt. He stands with a hand on his hip and the other poised as if he were previously examining his nails.

"Well are you just going to stand there or are you going to tell me you're doing in my club before opening hours?" He drawls.

"I'm Katara, we spoke on the phone a couple days ago about the waitressing position."

His eyebrows rise. "Oh, yes you. The names Tahno, follow me." He turns swiftly on his heels and leads her over the bar. He tells her to take a seat at one of the stools while he fixes them both a drink. She has to admit, she hasn't underwent a job interview in a long time. She fiddles with her fingers in her lap.

"Are you over the age of twenty one?"

"Yes?"

"Own car? What about your house? Where do you live? What about your people skills? When can you work? Tell me a couple names of liquor." He rushes as he slides her drink to her. Luckily, Katara isn't slow and her mind is faster than people think.

"I have a black Cadillac ATS coupe. I own my own home and I live in Sawangoa Lakes and people love me. I can work any night you want me to. There's Henessy, Patron, Tequila, Rum, Gin, whiskey..." She drinks her drink in one gulp.

Tahno eyes her. "Sinn gets busy and you have to stay on your toes. Can you keep up? You'll be on your feet a lot."

"I can keep up."

"Good, you start tonight."

"What?"

"Let me rephrase that, your training starts tonight. You'll shadow under Jin, she's another waitress. She's the bitch of all bitches, but she's pretty nice. I only keep her around because of her looks. She's brings in some great guys..."

"Oh, okay..." Katara says. "Do I need to do anything?"

"Not yet, just familiarize yourself with the levels. Break room is in the back, you only get a ten. Please, don't try to get a fifteen or a twenty. I will kick your ass out faster than you can say avatar. You get six an hour plus you get to keep your tips." He downs his drink, and then another and another after that. Katara doesn't mind, she loves to drink too.

"Am I dressed okay?" Katara asks when he comes from behind the bar. She stands and turns so he can see her full outfit.

"Well, my colors are black workers." He walks around her, "My God your ass is huge, do you squat? How'd you get your waist like that?"

A low blush creeps to Katara's cheeks. "Uh, no. I guess it's just genetics."

"Yeah, uh huh. Are you sure you don't want he dancers position? It's more pay..."

"I'm quite sure, honest." She says. There's no way she would be a cage dancer. For one she doesn't think she would do too good. She doesn't know, she wouldn't know until she's tried it. She admits it does look fun.

Tahno clicks tongue. "Okay fine, just go explore, Jin will be here in a few." He walks off and goes into a back room. Katara pulls out her phone from her bra and texts Yue.

Katara let's out a sigh as she places the tray on the counter behind the bar. Tahno wasn't kidding when he said this place is really upbeat and busy. She's only been working for a hour and a half and already she's a bit tired. The key to getting good money in tips is to basically look good and have a body, and be polite too. Jin is short with black hair that's pulled in a messy bun, she's very pretty. Already she's made two hundred dollars just about. She's helped Katara a lot and has even scolded some of the men and women about touching her. Now she's taking orders and fixing drinks on her own. The bartender named Kouga grins at her as he comes from the back.

Kouga is extremely hot, when Katara first saw him she couldn't stop staring. He has ice blue eyes and long hair that's pulled up in a high ponytail with tanned skin. Plus he's tall with lean muscles.

"So, how much did you make? I'm sure you got a couple of thousand already." He reaches and pulls down a bottle of vodka from the shelf and then gets three shot glasses.

"I haven't made anything, I was under training with Jin earlier. I'm just now getting my own sections." She watches as he pours up the shots and puts them on the tray.

"We don't close until two, you've got a solid four hours." He leans on his forearms on the bar, completely ignoring the customers. "If I weren't here I'd be out there tipping you." He

smirks.

"Um yeah, thanks." She picks up the tray and scurries from behind the bar. She moves

through the crowd and up the stairs easily to get to her tables.

She places the drinks down in front of them. "Three vodkas on the rocks. Is there anything else I can get for you guys?"

"Not yet." One of them says, "But we'll be looking out for you." He reaches into his pocket a pulls out a few bills. He hands them to Katara with a slick smile. "Stick around, we'll be here all night."

Katara takes the money and puts it in her hand balled up. "I'll be back later to check on you all." She spins and goes back down the stairs. As soon as she steps foot on the first floor she bumps into none other than Smellerbee. The other girl looks just as startled as her, then her lips purse and she places her hands on her nonexistent hips. Katara can't help but feel the anger build up in her chest as she looks at this woman, the woman who practically destroyed her life. Her dark hair is short and her eyes are lined in black. The red face paint is gone and she's wearing a skin right blue dress. Katara has said once before that if she ever sees her again she's going to beat her to a pulp.

Now it's the not the most appropriate place.

Katara brushes past her and Smellerbee grabs into her arm.

"You watch yourself bloodbender." The girl says snidely.

Katara yanks her arm away and fights against the urge to drown the girl in her own blood. "If anything you should be watching yourself, Smellerbee."

Katara goes back to the bar to refill, keeping an eye on Smellerbee the entire night. When the club closes she counts the tips that she's made, she's got four hundred and fifty dollars. She thinks that's pretty good for her first night. Yue and Toph are fast asleep when she makes home at four the next morning. She covers them with blankets before she collapses on another sofa by them. She falls asleep quickly and doesn't hear when her phone receives a text message, nor does she catch sight of the person watching her through her window.

Monday evening she squints her eyes as she looks at the recording from the cameras. The top right one shows the front of the house while the other three show the backyard and the sides. She leans forward on the counter to get a better look. There behind the shrubs she can see someone standing there, someone tall and dark. What makes her hear skip a beat is that the person is smoking a cigarette.

She only knows one person who smokes cigarettes.

She shrugs out of her short black trench coat and pulls off her knee high flat boots. After her classes shes wanted nothing more than to snuggle up in her bed and relax. Since she's seen the recording she's going to make sure to buy those new locks and reinforce the security system. She noticed that her jeans fit a lot tighter than usual. She supposes it's from all the bread she ate. She changes into a a tank top and loose sweat pants. She looks out her kitchen window as she tidies up. It's grey and cloudy outside again, the weather has been so bizarre lately. She curses herself for eating an entire box of pizza by herself, sometimes the Sokka syndrome takes over her. After she's done in the kitchen gets her giant blanket and tosses it over the sofa. Just as she's about to get comfortable the doorbell brings.

She trudged to the door and opens it to find Zuko. She guesses that he doesn't have to be at work today judging from what he's wearing. He's wearing jeans with a black t shirt, black shoes and an open black leather jacket revealing a white t shirt.

"Uh, Hi." He says. "You left this at my place." He holds out his hands showing her tablet and earphones. "I thought you would've liked to get this back."

She takes them from him, "Thanks. You wanna come in? I've got some pizza and Netflix."

"I don't want to intrude or anything." Zuko rubs the back of his neck.

"No it's fine, it's no too often that I get company." She opens the door further and steps to the side. "I insist."

Zuko steps in and looks around as he takes off his jacket. Katara closes the front door and hangs his jacket up for him. He followers her into the kitchen and sits down in one of the stools at the bar.

"This a nice place you have here." Zuko tells her as she digs through drawers to find another iPad charger. "It's spacious."

"Thanks, I did the decorating myself." She finally finds the charger and hooks it up in the wall besides the stove. "Though I'm not much of an exterior or interior decorator."

"It looks good. How long have you been here?"

"A year and a half." She replies. "It's quiet and it's by water which is a good thing, by most of all I have my privacy." She goes into the dishwasher and pulls out a plate. "I've got sausage and ham pizza, although I don't feel too bad that you're a pepperoni eater."

"How'd you know?"

"You look like the type."

The side of his mouth twitches into a bit. "With that one you're wrong, i love sausage."

"Oh, well then." She fixes him three slices and slides the plate to him. "Help yourself."

Besides herself, Aang and Yue Zuko is the only person she allows to eat in her living room. The two watch a movie chosen to Zuko, though Katara isn't really paying too much attention. She's moved once already to give her some space from Zuko, but it feels like she's only getting closer. She shivers.

"Are you cold?" He asks.

"I'm fine." She lies. Then his two strong arms slide her into his lap and lock around her securely. Her head is laid on his chest and the beating of his heart is so soothing, she's never heard a heartbeat like his. He's so warm...

Move. She tells herself, get off of him! She can't do anything, it's like her body has a mind of it's own. She likes being this close to him, she likes him. Her hand reaches up the side of his neck and her lips brush the smooth skin that's there. A light rumbling shakes his chest.

"Are you comfortable?" The smile that she loves so much beams down at her as he lowers his arms to her waist. She breathes in his cologne and nods her head as she clutches onto his shirt. She hasn't felt this comfortable in so long, she hasn't felt this safe and good. Zuko runs his fingers through her hair and kisses the top of her head.

_Stop it._

"Zuko." His name rolls off her tongue like silk, she nuzzles him and release a breath.

"Yes?" His arms tighten around her. She repositions herself so that she's straddling him. Something flickers in his eyes when she settles onto him, his eyes darken a little. She places her hands on his cheeks.

_What am I doing?_

She brushes her lips over his, he parts them for her. A light gasp escapes her when he rolls her shirt up and runs his fingertips over her stomach, sides and back. When she pulls back his eyes lock with hers. Katara knows she needs to stop, _they both need to stop_. She doesn't know why she can't stop. They're going too far. This is too much.

_Stop, Katara._

She leans forward again and this time she traps his bottom lip and pulls on it. His fingers did into her skin deeply at that. Katara takes his lips on fully and she pushes the warning signs to the back of her mind. She can feel a familiar throbbing when she runs her hands under his shirt dangerously close to his manhood. She can't help but smile Into the kiss, he likes what she's doing to him. His muscles are smooth and hard, they're perfect. Zuko's hands grip onto her hips as she grinds on him. She's moving slow against him, smooth and sensual but the friction is so intense.

"Katara." He groans into her chest, he moves his lips up to tease the side of her neck. "Please don't start what you can't finish." His hands slip into the back of her sweatpants and grips and feels her round bottom. "Please..."

"Please?" She runs her hand over his chest and pulls on his ear with her teeth. "I like please."

He squeezes her and bites down on her collarbone, "Yes, please."

His words are only a faint whisper in her mind. When he reaches a spot under her ear and traces it with the tip of his tongue her eyes close in bliss and her hips speed up. Katara's lips find his again and she attacks his lips more aggressively. She's lost to now, her body and needs won't allow her to stop. It's been years since she's received pleasure, and Zuko knows all the right buttons to press to have her soaking wet. Since this sexual side of her hasn't come out in a long time she knows that she'll max both him and her out. She can't help it, she's a semi addict. Zuko, she can't not want to do some things with him. He doesn't have a problem with her taking control of him either. His hands become bolder and move along her body until they're right under her belly button. One lone finger travels down her lace underwear and teases her sensitive skin through the material. She can feel him smirking into her cheekbone when he discovers how moist she is.

She moans his name into his ear and pulls at his loosened hair. Her small hands reach down and unbuckles his belt before she unzips his pants. She turns her head in his neck to watch her hands trace over the bulge in his boxers. It jumps under her touch, ready for her command. Just as he pulls her pants down to her knees and moves her panties to the side his phone rings, louder than either of them has ever heard a phone ring. It startles them and makes them break apart. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Zuko rummaging around him for his phone. Katara, whose just caught her breath finds it on the floor and hands it to him. He mumbles her a thanks and he goes into the foyer to answer it.

Shamefully, Katara fixes her shirt and pulls her hair out of her face. She can't believe she did that, she can't believe they almost-

"I have to get to the office and straighten some things out." Zuko tells her when he returns. His voice is still husky and his hair is semi messed up. She only nods and follows him to the foyer to retrieve his coat. As she watches him she notices the marks along his neck and jawbone are already starting to form. She doesn't look at him after she sees that, instead she looks down at her hands. Now he probably thinks she's done easy slut...

He lifts her head up by her chin. "I'll call you when I'm done." He moves in for a kiss but she moves back. Zuko looks at her confused before he goes in again. This time he takes three, each one longer than the last one. She suppresses the moan that tries to escape. When he pulls away she doesn't say anything, she only watches him open the front door. When he gives her one last look he closes the door. She guesses that he must see her expression. His eyes show concern and affection.

"I can stay if you want me to." He wraps his around her and pulls her to his chest. She hugs him back. "I don't have to go."

"No, it's fine. Go ahead." She pulls away. After a couple of seconds of hesitation he finally slips out the door. She waits until she sees him turn the corner before she breaks down on the floor.

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	6. Chapter 6

**Story Title: **I Wont Give Up

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Six**

Zuko slams his pen down in frustration and leans back in his chair, scowling at the papers in front of him.

Lu Ten cocks an eyebrow at him. "I'm guessing the reason you're behaving like that has something to do with all those passion marks on your neck."

"It's nothing." Zuko grumbles as he adjusts his jacket to hide the markings. He still can't get over that day, hell it's all he thinks about! Her soft body and the sweetness of her lips, her curves and the way his name rolled off her tongue. So badly he wanted to thrust into her and see just how wild she really is. He'd never thought that she had a side like that. It was just really unexpected. His mind reels when he thinks about how wet she was just for him. He clears his throat, now isn't the time for an erection.

"Yeah right. Let me guess, she was all over you right?"

"What?"

"What do you mean what? You know what?" Lu Ten say as he stands.

"What?"

"You like her." Lu Ten leans on Zuko's desk. "You like her and you like her a lot."

"Ya think?" Zuko scoffs. "I haven't talked to her since then."

"So you mean you did get laid?"

"No! I didn't...we didn't I mean," he pinches the bridge of his nose. "We almost did."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because you called about some damn paperwork!" Zuko pushes the other man off of his desk.

"Well, excuse me." Lu Ten chuckles. "You must really feel for her."

Zuko says nothing.

Lu Ten arches an eyebrow. "I kinda thought so, that's why I took the liberty of inviting her to the banquet next Friday."

"You did what? Why? We aren't even talking and I haven't scene her in like a week."

"Well, you got another week to make up! I saw her coming out the cafe a couple of days ago and I had the invites so I gave her one and she said that she'd be there." Lu Ten explains. "She didn't look too happy, but she said she'd come."

"What do you mean she didn't look too happy?"

He shrugs. "Just looked like she had a lot on her mind."

There's a knock at the door and the secretary named Ming pokes her head in. "Mai is here to see you." She announces.

Zuko stands and motions his arms in sweeping motion to his left, he's trying to tell Ming to send Mai away. The door opens further and Mai walks in, nearly knocking Ming out of the way. Mai's cold eyes land directly on Zuko.

She pushes past Lu Ten. "What's this about her being at your house?"

"Katara was at your house?" Lu Ten grins, "I thought you two hooked up somewhere."

Mai's arms cross over her chest and she stares at him so coldly he thinks his soul will freeze over.

"Mai, that's nothing to do with you!" Zuko counters. "I don't even know how you even-"

"- The doorman isn't too good at keeping things quiet. Do you know what the clubs are saying? Do you know what my parents are saying?" She seethes with balled fists. It's the most emotion that Zuko has seen her use in years.

"I don't care what your parents are saying and I don't care what the clubs are saying, Mai!"

"Did I come at a bad time?" A new voice rises from the back of the room. There's Katara standing there, clutching onto the strap of her messenger bag. Her hair is up in a messy bun and she's in a pair of harem sweats and a white tank top. Lu Ten was right, she does look like she has a lot on her mind.

"As a matter of fact this is a bad time." Mai tells her, then she spins back around at Zuko. _"You're even letting her just waltz on in the office?"_

"I'll just go." Katara says she turns get out of the room.

"No it's not a bad time," Zuko weaves around Mai and Lu Ten and takes Katara by the shoulders and leads her out the room.

Lu Ten kicks at the ground and whistles. He looks at Mai, "So, read any good obituaries lately?"

**.0.**

"I can come back sometime later. I was only stopping by, I was only stopping by anyway." Katara says over her shoulder as she walks away to the elevators, Zuko follows behind since he's unable to pass her because of the workers crowding the hall. As soon as she stepped foot in his office he got a flashback about that night, but he had to keep his composure.

He finally is able to get in front of her and block her path. She looks up at him in confusion and an undercurrent of hurt. She's

hurt? Why? Did he hurt her? She moves her hair out of her eyes and fixes her eyes on a vase.

"It's fine really, that back there..." Zuko points a thumb towards his office."it's only Mai, she's just jealous-"

"- Yeah, I kind of figured that." She shrugs. "Listen, do you think you can come over tonight? It's just...my brothers out of town and," she shrugs. "You know?" When she moves her hand again Zuko can see sgat appears to be a bruise on her wrist, it's pretty dark and noticeable. He feels anger rise inside of him, why does it look like a hand print? She puts her hands in her pockets and Zuko can tell there's something wrong. She must have gotten the wrong idea when he takes too long to answer. She frowns and tells him to just forget it before she walks off.

Zuko grabs her wrist and she turns back to him. He holds her hands in his. "I'll be there, as soon as I get off."

She smiles, it's a real smile, then she embraces him tightly. "Thanks Zuko." He hugs her back tighter and inhales her sweet scent.

When she asked him to come over she never mentioned that she wanted him to spend the night, not that he'sobjecting to it. Zuko doesn't know why she's do affectionate all of a sudden. Sometimes she's hot and sometimes she's cold, she still hides in her little she'll. She lays on top of him tucked under the covers while watching the tv. One hand clenches onto his shirt while the other arm is tucked under the pillow.

"I'm guessing you're still scared of the thunder." He lightly teases. "It's just heavy rain."

She shrugs. "It's not the thunder I'm scared of anymore."

"What do you-"

"-Do you think it's going to snow? It hasn't snowed yet since I've been here. It snows every week in the South Pole."

She's cut him off so good, she must have known what he was going to ask her. "I might, probably not. I don't really favor snow."

"You don't like snow?" She sits up in the bed. "Why not?"

"Its too messy and irritating. It causes too much trouble on the streets and I just don't like it. Have you ever met a fire bender that likes cold weather?"

"I'm a water bender and I like the summer." She says. "Winter is my favorite time of the year."

"It's starting to grow on me." He says lowly, rubbing his thumb over her hand. "What happened here?" He taps the bruise around her wrist, this time she doesn't move. She only looks at him from under her thick eyelashes, a frown on her face. She doesn't say anything.

"Katara?"

She pulls away. "It's nothing."

"It looks like something to me."

"Well, it's nothing!"

"How'd that happen?"

"I fell."

"Did you seriously just say that? You could've came up with something better. The whole falling thing doesn't even add up."

"I don't have to listen you you." Katara grunts as she throws the covers back and gets out of her bed. "You're speaking foolishness now, calling me a liar and all."

Zuko follows her down the stairs and into the kitchen. "I wouldn't be asking you about it so much if I didn't care about you. I'm not calling you a liar I'm just saying that you aren't telling the truth. I can see that those are hand marks on you Katara, no matter how much you try to shrug it off."

Now she's mad, throwing things in her kitchen as she prepares a small snack. She's making him mad for not telling him what happened to her. Zuko gates the thought of someone, a male, laying hands on her and hurting her. It makes his blood boil.

"Yes, it was done by someone now are you happy?" She slams open the refrigerator door, Zuko catches it before it can hit the wall on side of it. "It's nothing to do with you alright?"

"If it hurt you then yes, it is something to do with me. Stop being so bipolar-"

"-bipolar?" She slams the fridges door. "You're calling me bipolar?"

"Yes I am! One minute you're one person the next you're someone else! You're hot and then you're cold, one day you're into me and the next day you're not!"

"That has nothing to do with this! Excuse me if your life is so easy and perfect."

"Perfect? You think my life is perfect?"

"You sit in a office all day, just messing with paper work."

"You don't know what happens-"

"-Exactly! That's your business." She quickly counters.

"I tell you things all the time! You barely let me in, you won't tell me anything."

She slams her hands down on the countertop and glares at him. "I was fighting with my ex boyfriend and he bruised me up a bit. You satisfied now?"

Zuko doesn't say anything. He only watches her with soft eyes as she slices at the pineapple savagely. Someone did hurt her, she was hiding it from him.

"All the lying and cheating, mind games and tears and heartbreak. Three years,three years of my life. He'll never stop, never." Katara mumbles to herself. Her body begins to shake and the tears flow freely down her face. The knife and pineapple are forgotten as she places her hands over her wet eyes. She doesn't fuss or fight when Zuko goes and wraps her in his arms. He runs his hands up and down her back as she cries into his

chest.

"I don't think I'll ever be ready to talk about that. To make a long story short he was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I still can't sleep at night after all these years, I'm still fighting to get through. I'm over him, I'm just not over what he did to me." Katara wipes her red eyes again. She's been crying for over thirty minutes now. She only stopped crying because of Zuko's comforting words and touches. He held her the entire time, he didn't mind.

"I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine, it wasn't your fault."

At least now he understands why she's the way she is. He's just learned a little bit more about her, it isn't much but it's something. That night she falls into a peaceful sleep in his arms.

The next morning when she's starting in on her homework he asks her about a special book. It's navy blue with golden engravings on it, it's pretty thick too. Zuko thinks that it's thicker than a dictionary. She looks up from her work and at the book in his hands. She looks unsure at first and then she goes back to work.

"Open it." She says, and he does. He reads each page, front and back. It's all poetry and other random writing. The handwriting is a bit sloppy at first and then it gets neater and neater. Even though Zuko isn't a big fan of poetry he finds this surprisingly good.

"It was a present from my mother on my ninth birthday. I didn't use it until I was ten, besides my brother and my best friend you're the only person whose seen it." She says softly.

"These are really good." He flips through the pages again. They're dated in the top right corner with the time. There aren't any from the day he met her but there is one from the time they went on a date at the boardwalk. That night was great for the both of then them. It was the annual fair, they played the games at stands and ate the funnel cakes and other sweets, went walking along the beach. He guesses it's about him, he doesn't think she's seeing anyone else. This poem is pretty long but it speaks to him. It's dated September tenth.

_You think I'm pretty without any make-up on_

_You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong_

_I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down_

_Before you met me, I was all right_

_But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life_

_Now every February you'll be my valentine, valentine_

_Let's go all the way tonight_

_No regrets, just love_

_We can dance until we die_

_You and I, will be young forever_

_You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on, I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops when you look at me_

_Just one touch, now baby I believe_

_This is real, so take a chance_

_And don't ever look back, don't ever look back_

_We drove to Cali and got drunk on the beach_

_Got a motel and built a fort out of sheets_

_I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece_

_I'm complete_

_Let's go all the way tonight_

_No regrets, just love_

_We can dance until we die_

_You and I, we'll be young forever_

_You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on, I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops when you look at me_

_Just one touch, now baby I believe_

_This is real, so take a chance_

_And don't ever look back, don't ever look back_

_I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Youuuu You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on, I can't sleep_

_Let's runaway and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops when you look at me_

_Just one touch, now baby I believe_

_This is real, so take a chance_

_And don't ever look back, don't ever look back_

_I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

He flips the page, it takes a total emotional turn. First she was happy and now she's not for some reason. He's discovered that when she feels some type of way she writes her heart out in this notebook. She only has a few pages left but Zuko knows that may be written out by the end of the month.

"The poems that you write, you turn them into songs and sing them?"

"Yes."

"Why haven't you gotten discovered yet?" He sits across from her at the island. "These are amazing."

She pauses her writing. "I was discovered. It was two about two years ago. I got this record deal with Long Hung, it was for two million dollars. I was supposed to be a singer for this band, it was a dual deal because at that time I was dating the lead guitarist."

"Why didn't you take it?"

"It wasn't what I thought it was. I left and then he started going in on my replacement. I wouldn't have been happy anyway."

"I understand. You should do what makes you happy, not what makes anyone else happy."

She smiles at that and continues writing. She pauses to go and answer the door. Zuko looks over her notes on anatomy. There's slight arguing, it's from a male and then Katara starts shouting. It's followed by some tussling and a loud slap.

A woman comes dashing into the kitchen on what looks to be six inch heels. She's dressed like she's going to a celebrity fashion show in New York or somewhere. Her hair is long and white and her skin is tanned, she too has blue eyes. She smiles brightly at Zuko and shakes his hands quickly.

"It's so nice to finally meet you!" She chimes brightly. "I'm Yue, Katara's sister in law. What's your name?"

"I'm Zuko Agni." He pries out of her Iron grasp. "It's nice to meet you."

"When Katara told me you were totally attractive I thought she was just exaggerating." She stands back with her hands on her hips. "She always did have a hot one."

"- such a prick sometimes, you know that?-"

"- my sister! This is what I'm taking about-"

"- So idiotic! Just let it go Sokka-"

There's more tussling, then the pounding of flesh against flesh. Something breaks and then it's silence.

"Don't worry about them, they're always like that." Yue shrugs. Something else breaks and he hears tumbling.

Just as he stands to go investigate Katara walks back in with a man who looks exactly like her, except his short hair is pulled back in a ponytail. He's wearing jeans and a white t shirt. He's holding two styrofoam plates of food and he's looking Zuko over suspiciously.

"Zuko this my brother Sokka. Sokka this is Zuko."

"It's uh, nice to finally meet you." Zuko holds his hand out for Sokka to shake but he only narrows his eyes at him. Katara sighs and Zuko puts his hands away in his pockets.

"So, it's finally you huh?" Sokka sits the food on the counter and crosses his arms over his chest. "You screwin' my sister?"

"Oh my God!" Katara throws her hands up. "You're so embarrassing! You have to excuse my brother Zuko, he's mentally retarted-"

"- I got a 4.0 in highschool! I was captain of the football team, I had to keep my grades up!"

"That was only because you cheated off me in every class. You're making a bad impression!"

"If it matters I'm not doing that with your sister, I'd never even-" Zuko rubs his hands together.

"-My sisters not good enough for you?"

"No, it's not that. It's just that-"

"-We're just friends Sokka. You don't have to give him the third degree." Katara says.

"Yeah, just friends." Katara looks back at him with a strange expression when he says that. He wish he could've said what he wanted to.

"Uh huh, what's your last name?" Sokka presses. From his tone Zuko can tell that he doesn't believe that.

"It's Agni."

Sokka nods his head. "I'm gonna be watching you. When I get back to work I'm gonna run your name and find out your entire life history."

"Okay." Katara sighs. "That's enough, can you stay for lunch Zuko?"

"I've actually got to get going. I was supposed to be at the office an hour ago."

"...You're sure?" Katara sounds a tad disappointed as she walks him out, leaving an annoyed Sokka and a mirthful behind.

"Yeah, I gotta get some things out the way."

"Zuko! Oh, Zuko wait!" Yue comes up to them. "Did Katara tell you about the show at the theater?"

"No, she didn't. What show?"

"It's nothing really-" Katara tries to stop her.

"- Her and a couple of other people are going to be perform. It's kind of big, a couple of producers came out last year. You tagging along?"

"Yue. That's probably not in his interests to come-"

"I'd love to." Zuko says. Katara looks at him strangely. "When is it?"

"It's next Thursday at eight." Yue smiles.

"I'll be there." He looks at Katara, she hasn't changed her unreadable expression yet but she gives him a funny look. When he's out the house and I'm the driveway Zuko can hear more arguing.

**.0.**

"Do you know what I want to know Zuko?" His father leans back in his big chair and glares at him with his hands clasped in front of him.

Zuko swallows dryly. "No, sir." His father never calls him to his office, the last time he called him it was because he was going to fire him. Zuko hopes this isn't what it's about.

"This month you've called in sick four times, five days you didn't even show up, and you were late three times in a row." Ozai grips onto the arms of his chair and leans forward. "Why is that Zuko?"

"Some things came up."

"Things like what?"

"Personal things?" Zuko says unsurely. His forehead begins to get beaded with sweat. It comes out sounding more like a question than a statement.

"I'm guessing that these personal things involve that girl you're seeing?"

"Kinda, yes sir." Zuko says. "I mean we aren't really seeing each other like that we're just going places and stuff."

Ozai is silent a minute before he speaks again. "Bring her to dinner tomorrow night. Will that be a problem?"

He wants to blurt out, 'Yes! It'll be a big problem!' But he doesn't. "No, that's not a problem."

"Good, good. I hope you know that if I don't like her I'll knock you out of the inheritance, erase your name from the will and strip you bare of your funds and employment. Obviously this girl is taking up more than most of your time, it's nothing but business, you understand that don't you son? Good, now your mother wants to know if you're still having brunch with her at the Courtyard Sunday."

Zuko only gawks at his father before slumping down in his seat.

A knock comes to the door and a young man walks in. His skin is lightly tanned and his wild dark hair falls partially over his face. Zuko thinks it weird that the guy has a straw hanging out of his mouth. Ozai stands and shakes the mans hand. Zuko can't help but think that the man looks familiar.

"Zuko, this is Jet. He's doing internship here, Jet this my son Zuko."

"It's nice to finally meet you." Jet says with a grin.

"Zuko, Jets going to be joining us for dinner."

"Sure, the more the merrier."

"Make sure that you get that girl there on time, you know how your mother hates lateness."

Zuko sighs and rubs his temples.

**Read and Review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author**:XxToToXx

**Full summary:fter a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Seven**

_When you get caught in the rain_

_With no where to run_

_When you're distraught and in pain without anyone_

_When you keep crying out to be saved_

_But nobody comes and you feel so far away_

_That you just can't find your way home_

_You can get there alone_

_It's okay, what you say is_

_I can make it through the rain, I can stand up once again on my own_

_And I know that I'm strong enough to mend_

_And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith_

_And I live one more day and I make it through the rain_

_And if you keep falling down, don't you dare give in_

_You will arise safe and sound, so keep pressing on steadfastly_

_And you'll find what you need to prevail_

_What you say is_

_I can make it through the rain, I can stand up once again on my own_

_And I know that I'm strong enough to mend_

_And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith_

_And I live one more day and I make it through the rain_

_And when the rain blows, as shadows grow close_

_Don't be afraid, there's nothing you can't face_

_And should they tell you, you'll never pull through_

_Don't hesitate, stand tall and say_

_I can make it through the rain, I can stand up once again on my own_

_And I know that I'm strong enough to mend_

_And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith_

_And I live one more day and I make it through the rain_

_I can make it through the rain_

_As I live once again_

_And I live one more day_

_I can make it through the rain_

_Yes you can_

_You gonna make it through the rain_

_I remember when you used to be mine_

_Way back when, I was too naive to love you right_

_But now if I only had the opportunity_

_I would do anything because my heart still believes_

_Maybe you could be mine again_

_Maybe we could make that dream for real_

_Like way back then, when love was yours and mine_

_Maybe we could bring it back to life_

_It's irrelevant to dwell on the past_

_I'm accountable for what went bad_

_And I mean that, but I keep on praying for another chance_

_Just to have you back 'cause I've grown_

_And I know how to be your everything_

_Maybe you could be mine again_

_Babe, we could make that dream for real_

_Like way back then, when love was yours and mine_

_Maybe we could bring it back to life_

_No, no, it ain't over yet_

_I just can't accept the possibility_

_We were made for each other's arms_

_I know you're my destiny_

_We can't erase what was meant to be_

_Part of you and part of me_

_If we try one more time_

_Maybe somehow we'll survive_

_Maybe you could be mine again_

_Maybe we could make that dream for real_

_Like way back then, when love was yours and mine_

_Boy, maybe we could bring it back_

_Maybe we could bring it back_

_Maybe we could bring it back to life_

_Maybe you could be mine_

"I like the last one better." Zuko says honesty as he hands her back her iPad. His head is in her lap and he's as comfortable as he's ever been. He rises and she crosses her legs under the covers.

"I'm using both of them. Yue and I are going dress shopping tomorrow for the Theater." She says, almost excitedly. "Last year I wore blue."

"You're changing your mind this year?"

"Exactly. Maybe black, white, or burgundy. I don't know yet, I'll see when I get there." She leans back in the bed and straightens out her legs. The sheet drops down a little, revealing the compass and wheel on her thigh. It has patterns that run all the way When Zuko sees it he pulls the sheets down further. He doesn't seem to mind the fact that she's only wear a pair of short black shorts.

"Dinner with your parents should be fun tomorrow."

"Yeah, you'll be in for the run of your money." He scoffs. She plays with his hair.

"When did you get this?" He sits up and leans on the on the pillow besides her, eyeing the art work. She sits up halfway.

"Last year."

"Did it hurt?"

She slowly nods, his eyes never leave the tattoo. He traces over the outline of it, she holds a breath in. It's like he's leaving a trail of fire on her skin. She remembers this is how it started the last time, just by that one touch. His finger slowly goes higher up to her panty line and then under her belly button. When he flicks his warm eyes at her they're glazed over, he runs his finger down lower. His eyes never leave hers and she grips into the covers when his thumb rests atop the head of her womanhood. One wrong move and-

"Zuko." He blinks, then he looks down at his hand and pulls it away.

"Sorry about that." He mumbles lowly, rubbing his neck. She doesn't like how he's sorry for doing things to her. He meant to do that, he wanted to do that. He wants to do more than that.

She does too.

"No." Katara puts her hands on his cheeks, "I liked that."

"We don't have to. I mean it's..." He pauses when her lips brush over his, making his words melt completely. She hasn't figured out what it is about Zuko Agni, but with him she just can't seem to control her hormones. It doesn't make it any better that she hasn't had sex in a year either. He just smells so good and his body's so strong and soft. She locks her arms around his neck

"We don't have to, but I want to." She says into his ear when his fingers tangle in her hair. She closes her eyes and bites her bottom lip when his lips and teeth graze her neck. "Zuko..."

How tenderly he holds her with such care and warmth, his soft and knowing kisses and touches are far too much for her. So much that she's confused, they're just friends right?

Right?

"I'm not giving you that Katara." He takes her arms from around his neck. She looks at him confused, he doesn't want her either.

"Yeah, I guess you didn't mean to do that either." Partially embarrassed she pulls her arms from his grasp and tries to slide out the bed to get her things. She's starting to believe what Jet told her. Zuko pulls her back by her hips and and searches her face.

"That's not what I meant. I didn't mean to... It wasn't meant like that." He pulls at her bottom lip with his teeth before he kisses her fully, digging his nails into her skin. She kisses him back, it's so sultry and heated. Her hand snakes to the back of his neck and he pulls her into his lap facing him. She gasps into his mouth when his member is pressed between her legs.

"Then what did you mean?" She asks when she pulls away. His hands tuck into the back of her shorts and grip onto her buttocks. He lays her back down on the bed and kisses her lightly.

"Just let me show you." He whispers into her ear. "It's not just about us pleasuring each other." He bites, sucks, and teases the skin on her neck. She's burning up just from that, her legs arch up around him and she holds onto his back, hands running down the scratch marks she left before. A low grown comes from his throat when she moves under him, to Katara that's the most erotic thing ever. His hand runs up and down her thigh affectionately. When he bites the skin on her collarbone her nails dig into his back, but he likes that. She can tell from the way he grins into her chest.

He leans up and slides his hands over her shirt. Zuko looks at her from under his lashes, he's asking permission. He slowly raises her shirt off and pulls it over her head. His hands massage her skin and kisses it as he goes. She's watches him, everything else in his room is a blur to her except him. The moans escape her more and more as his hands work magic on her body, she's never had this before. He unhooks her bra with one hand and tosses it to the floor. Her nipples instantly become sensitive and harden from the cool air. Then he slides off her panties and toss them to the floor as well.

As he takes her body in Katara doesn't feel self conscious at all, she doesn't get any bad feelings about anything from him. She pulls him down by his neck and kisses the corner of his mouth, his ear and neck.

"You're even more beautiful this way." He kisses down her chest, bringing his full attention the swell of her breasts. Her back arches in pleasure when he takes a nipple into his mouth. His tongue flicks over it and he massages it with his lips while his hand massages the other one. Her hands go to the sides of his head, not wanting him to stop. She can feel the bed becoming wetter and wetter from her juices, but she doesn't care. All she cares about is what Zuko's doing to her.

"All this from just that?" He asks huskily and reaches a hand down between her legs and caresses her soaked core. "If I didn't know any better I'd say that your body was made only for me." As if on cue her legs begin shaking with anticipation and need, she hasn't felt this in so long!

Her breathing quickens when he moves lower and begins kissing to get womanhood.

"Zuko!" Her hands firmly sit on his head, wanting him to go further. She knows he knows what she wants. He runs his tongue around her hipbone.

"Relax," he spreads her legs widen around his head. "I'll take care of you." He takes his eyes of her moist center, "Alright?" She nods back in return, chest heaving up and down and body starting to sweat.

"Just relax." She nods again and tangles her fingers in his hair. Zuko lowers his head and kisses the small head between her legs, she smells and tastes just like kiwi. From that, she goes wild. Maneuvering and rowing her hips into his awaiting mouth. He works his lips and tongue with magic! He slides in one finger, then another and another and Katara doesn't know how much more she can take. He pumps into her with a speed she's never experienced all while massaging her clit with his heated tongue.

He leans up and kisses her, it's a turn on for him for her to taste herself of his lips. That's exactly what she does, slipping her tongue into his mouth for more. She feels her walls tightening around his fingers and knows it's only a matter of time...

"You know what?" He asks into her ear. She shakes her head slips her hands into his pants. He groans when she strokes his length and she loves it when it twitches from excitement. "When you cum for me, you want what I want you to do?" He bites her earlobe and sucks in a breath through his teeth. Katara nods her head and takes his hardened length from it's confinements. It's what every man wants and she gives it to. As soon as that wave runs through her body and the heat is released she calls out his name as her body climaxes.

"Zuko," she breathes out his name and looks up at her lover through half lidded eyes. Katara watches as he licks her cream from his fingers. Her hand works his shaft, measuring just how long and big he is. A deep moan rises when get soft fingers caress the top of him. "I need more."

"Are you sure?" Zuko asks her while looking dead in her lusty eyes. She nods and pulls him down by his hair to smash his lips on hers. She helps him out of his pants while he attacks her neck.

"Put me in." He bites her earlobe and Katara quickly complies. He coos into her ear when she runs his tip over her core. He almost loses it, good thing he didn't. Bites at her bottom lip, "Katara, put me in."

She rubs him once more before she positions him at her entrance. Since she's past wet he gets in with little to no difficulty. He goes all in, exchanging each others names as one fills the others body. Her walls clench around him and release. A sweat breaks out on his forehead when he watches himself pull out halfway and then moves back into her agonizing slow. When he whispers into her ear as he climaxes Katara knows that she's messed up. That next morning she leaves soundlessly before he can wake up and stop her.

**.0.**

"So, where were you last night?" Yue asks. "I called but you didn't answer, Sokka was ready to call the force in." She pours caramel into her frappe before swirling the whip cream on top. Katara remains silent as she stares into her hot chocolate. She can't tell Yue about what happened last night, them sokka will know and it'll probably end up in a fight between her and him and most likely Zuko.

She still can't believe that he told her that. She shakes her head and covers her eyes with her hands. She doesn't need this right now.

"What's wrong did something happen?" Yue frowns. "Katara-"

"I was at Zuko's last night. Then one thing led to another and then…" she shakes her head as the tears fall down. She can't help it, she should've never let things get this far. She feels so stupid because it's only been two and a half months since that she's been knowing him. They aren't even together so why did she feel that way? Why did they do that? She doesn't know.

"Oh, Katara..." Yue sits besides her and puts an arm around her shoulder. "You feel bad about sleeping with him?"

Katara nods. "We're just supposed to be friends. Friends don't do things like that!" She sniffs.

"Katara, you really like this guy. I can tell because I look at Sokka the same way. Zuko looks at you like you're the only color in this black and white world. You can't keep letting Jet interfere with your-"

"- He told me he loved me." Katara faces her. Yue's surprised face doesn't shock her at all. "That's crazy right? Tell me that's crazy Yue, how can he love me, why would he?"

"Instead of asking why he would love you you should be asking yourself why wouldn't he love you." Yue says back softly. "Katara, you're not unlovable. From your reaction to him saying that you must feel some way about him too."

"I do, but I don't want to." Katara exhales. "I have dinner with his parents tonight. I don't think I can-"

Yue jumps up when she hears breaks in the driveway and loud rock music.

"That's Sokka." Yue hurriedly pats Katara's eyes dry. "If Sokka sees you in here like this he'll really hunt Zuko down like a wild huntsman. Listen to me," Yue lifts Katara's head up by her chin. "You go to that mansion and you let all of your fears go alright? Nothing's gonna happen."

Katara should've known that Yue was wrong.

Now she sits in the passenger seat of Zuko's black Maserati on the way to his parents. As keeps her head down the whole time and finds interest in the golden charm bracelet Sokka bought her three years ago. There's a blue and gold whale charm, a little red heel, and a tiny golden cross. She's wearing a strapless red dress that has a bustier top and then it flows out at her waist along with a pair beige and gold heeled sandals.

The ride is silent and not even the radio is on. Katara feels as though she's about to take with a nervous breakdown. They haven't spoken even three words since he picked her up earlier. Frankly, she doesn't even want to look at him.

"I hope you like lasagna." Zuko's raspy voice breaks the silence.

"I can tolerate it." He casts her a look but she still doesn't meet his eyes. She can't.

"If you're not up to this I can turn around and we can-"

"- No, it's fine. You-"

"- I can take you home and just tell them you're feeling bad -"

" - I'm fine!"

"You obviously aren't yourself right now and I'm just trying to look out for you. You haven't said a word since you got in the car. You've been staring down at your hands for like thirty minutes, you would've been talking my ear off by now."

"Talking your ear off?" She looks up at him. "So now I talk your ear off?"

"No, Katara I didn't mean it like that-"

"- Yeah. Just like you didn't mean last night either right? You never mean anything."

"So this is all about last night?" Zuko asks.

"No shit." She rolls her eyes and leans her head against the window.

"I didn't-"

"- Yeah, me either. I don't wanna talk about it."

"But-"

"- Can you just keep your eyes on the road before you kill me?"

"I drive just fine unlike you who drives like a bat out of hell." She frowns at him but says nothing.

She grunts and scoffs when they pull up in front of the mansion. She declines Zuko's manners and gets out of the car on her own. He sighs at her and walks her up to the front door.

It is immediately opened by a woman, w very beautiful woman that Katara guesses is Zuko's mother. Her name is Ursa and she instantly loves her. There's laughter from the dining room and Katara guesses it's from Zuko's father or uncle or something. Zuko watches the from the side with an unreadable expression as his mother showers her with love and affection. Then, dressed in a black pants shirt and jeans, appears Jet from the dining room with a wine glass in his hand.

Katara freezes mid sentence, she can't tell if Zuko notices or not but Ursa does. She looks at Jet's grinning face unsurely. Just what is he doing here?

"Hey Katara." Jet sits his sine glass on a nearby table and sticks his hands in his pockets. "I see your son has amazing taste, Mrs. Agni. So do I..." He smirks. That's all that's needed to cause Katara to lunge for his throat.

**.0.**

"That's why I came here today to apologize for my behavior last night. I never meant to disrespect your household and embarrass Zuko like that, I don't usually...well, it was a mistake." Katara says honestly as she takes a seat across from Ursa in the sitting area. She rubs her bruised knuckles, "I'm really sorry."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine. You don't even need to explain anything to me dear. I already know what the situation is." Ursa smiles.

Katara blinks. "You do?"

"I'm a woman and I know these things. Jet is your ex boyfriend and my son didn't know that. Zuko likes you but you won't admit that you like him back because of something that Jet did to you, broke your heart I'm guessing. Would you like more tea?" She pours herself more jasmine tea and Katara almost gawks at the woman.

"No thank you. I just stopped by to apologize."

"No harm done, you'll have to come back Friday, that's family night this week."

"I don't think... Mrs. Agni, Zuko and I are just friends and-"

"- That's the same thing I said about his father when I met him in college." Ursa laughs. "It'll come around soon enough, I'm too sure about Zuko's job now."

"What do you mean?" She's been ignoring Zuko since that night, she can't talk to him even more so now.

"Ozai said that if Zuko introduced you to him and he didn't like you then he'd fire him. It's all business things and such. He's been missing an awful lot of work, sometimes not even calling in, he's missing meetings and it's just a mess- oh, are you leaving?"

Katara doesn't answer her as she races to her car and speeds off to Agni corp.

**Read and Review**


	8. Chapter 8

**Story title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**(A:N) BTW The Casualties of Love story has been stalled, I have writers block now. Rise from the Ashes: The New Queen isn't doing to good so I may stop writing on that one and the Next installment called Rise from the Ashes: The Spirit Thief may not even get posted for lack of interest in the prequel. :( I write for you guys, but i suppose that a review or two would kill you all. Like, The New Queen is a really great story. Anyway, I have a new story that I'm going to publish sometime this month, its gonna be a two part modern Zutara story called broken Lullaby. Anyway, Caged Birds will be updated soon, its a slow developing romance. I love my readers, i enjoy your feedback and all. Here is chapter 8 to I Wont Give Up. **

**Eight**

"Hey, uh... Good morning." Katara greets the receptionist as she passes the front desk that's outside of Zuko's office. Ming jumps when she sees her and nearly spills her coffee. Katara only ignores it. "Is Zuko in his office?"

"That's a real lovely shade of pink you're wearing today. I've always wanted to ask you where you buy your outfits from-"

"-I shop from everywhere. I'm sorry, look I'm really on a timeframe here. Is Zuko here?"

"Um, well..." Ming looks unsure. Then the door to the office opens up and out walks Mai, the other woman gives her a cold glare before she continues to the elevator. Ming pretends that she doesn't see Mai and gathers up papers to go to the file room.

"Katara? What're you doing here?" Zuko asks her when she brushes past him to get into his office. She slings her bag onto the couch before she turns on him. She's feeling a bit suspicious, seeing Mai come out his office like that and all. Just what was she even doing in there?

"What's she doing in your office like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like that! You know what I mean, I thought you two broke up."

"We did, you're just jumping to conclusions. You sound pretty jealous..." He goes back and sits behind his desk. He watches her carefully when she sits across from him in one of the big chairs. She looks at him as if he's just offended every fiber of her being.

"Jealous? Jealous of what?"

"Jealous of Mai. I don't know probably because you think she was trying to come to me." He says in an amused tone, "Don't worry it's cute."

"I'm not jealous of anything. I... I just wanted to know is all." She lies. "It's not like that."

"Exactly, besides it was you who said that we are just friends." She detects the roughness and slight disappointment in his voice but she says nothing. Instead she looks down at the carpeted floor as he continues. "I've been meaning to ask you about the other night-"

"- I don't want to talk about that. How come you didn't tell me about your father? Your mom said that if he didn't like me he was going to fire you."

Zuko blinks. "I'm still here aren't I?"

"But... We aren't even together or anything."

"You think I don't know that?" Zuko sighs. "It's...never mind. Why'd you attack Jet?"

She frowns at him, she doesn't consider what she did to him. She only punched him...a couple of times...in the face but that's not the point.

"That's none of your business." She jolts up and grabs her bag. "I only came here to ask you one thing, not to talk about that bastard."

Zuko stands and goes around his desk. "Do you know him or something?"

"Why was he even at your parents house? That's the big question!"

"Because he's an intern that my father just happens to like-"

"- An intern?" She squints her eyes at him and laughs. "An intern, really? Is that what he told you? You actually believe that lame lie?"

"Why wouldn't I? He has his paperwork and everything. He even graduated from BSSU at the top of his class."

"That piece of shit that you and your father call an intern is the lead singer of the Freedom Fighters, remember him? That's who i was telling you about." She slings her bag over her shoulder and proceeds to the door but Zuko blocks her. "How can you not remember that?"

"Why didn't you say that last night? You should have told me sooner, I never would've bought you there." He says. His eyes are sincere, yet angered with a protective field.

"Yeah, I bet you would've." She scoffs.

"Will you stop being so stubborn and selfish?"

"How am I being stubborn and selfish?" Her voice raises. "Selfish because I won't open up end expose what's inside? Oh, excuse me!"

"Because you walk around with all your problems and emotions locked up inside of you!" He retorts. "I'm trying to figure you out and help you because I care! You've already opened your legs-" He instantly closes his mouth.

"I didn't mean to say..." He attempts but she shakes her head and stops him.

Her jaws clench and her heart eats wildly at his words, she hopes that she isn't looking the way she feels on the inside. She pushes past him and storms out of the office. She ignores his calls for her to come back.

**.0.**

"Perfect." Yue says after she finishes Katara's eyeliner. "Please don't cry again and smudge them again."

"I won't, thanks Yue." Katara manages a smile.

"I'm gonna go and take my seat now before Sokka gives it away for a couple candy bars. You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, really." Yue gives her a disbelieving look but she only smiles and leaves from the back. Katara smooths down her dress, it's a simple but elegant blue one shouldered gown that Yue helped her pick out. Her hair is curled to perfection and they fall down her back. Now she's just waiting in the makeup room for her turn.

She hasn't spoken to Zuko since that day in his office. She doesn't want to speak to him either. Katara knows that that wasn't what meant to say but still, that doesn't erase the fact that it still came out of his mouth. She doesn't know why it hurts as bad as it does, probably because she's never had that said to her before. It really crushed her heart, she really felt like some easy whore. She fans her face with her hand to dry the wetness of her eyes.

Heading the performers act come to an end she stands and adjusts her hair a little bit more. There's a knock at the door and in walks none other than Zuko. She pauses for a moment, looking at him through the mirror. In one hand he has a bundle of red and white roses. His other hand is tucked into his pocket and he looks a bit uncomfortable and nervous. She ignores his presence and continues fixing her hair.

"Hey." He steps towards her and extends the bouquet of flowers. "I uh, wanted to say in sorry for what I said. I don't know...I wasn't thinking right when I said that. I didn't mean it." He sits them down on the table when he sees that she doesn't plan on taking them.

"Yeah, sure you didn't." She says sarcastically. She catches sight of his bruised knuckles. "What happened to you? Fall of your jerk wagon or something?"

Zuko raises an eyebrow at her choice of words. "Jerk wagon?"

"Yeah, I hear you. It's whatever." She stands as she heard the applauds, it signals that the person is done and it's her turn to go on stage. She doesn't even look at him when she passes him, "That was a real low blow, but I guess I should've expected it."

He takes hold of her arm but she pulls away, not sparing him one last look when she leaves out the room. She keeps the tears inside, if Yue saw her out on stage in front of all those people with raccoon rat eyes she'll stop her entire performance just to fix it.

When she steps out on stage the spotlight is instantly on her and the crowd applauds. Her friends and family, which include Yue, Sokka, Toph and Aang give her a standing ovation. Her father never attends, she should be used to it by now but it still hurts. He never came to one single show, he never even asked about it. She takes her seat at the black white piano. As the crowds quiet down she poised herself and begins to play.

_Feels like I'm going down a one way street,_

_In every direction_

_And I need, I need, I need, heaven to show me just little affection._

_Oh, cause all of the signs, oh oh_

_Torn towards bad for me._

_And I wish I could get a running start_

_And soar to my victory._

_But, one wing I can't fly with one wing_

_Heaven help me, fly with one wing_

_I can't fly with one wing, oh no_

_No matter how hard I try, I can't no._

_Feels like I'm running out of time,_

_And I gotta whole lot of things on my mind_

_And I'm walking around in the dark, oh oh_

_Trying to find just a little peak of sunshine_

_No, no oh I did everything to make it work,_

_But, still I'm at a loss._

_Now, I'm on a runaway of my life oh_

_Waiting to take off, but I-I-I_

_Can not fly with one wing._

_Heaven I'm gonna need some help yeah, fly with one wing_

_I can't I Cant I Cant fly with one wing, oh no_

_No matter how hard I try, I can't no._

_Always on my knees, always on my knees_

_Oh, I been on my knees many of nights, praying_

_For the coming of my victory, Yeah_

_But there's always something there in the way to delay my flight_

_I just can't get off my feet_

_To reach my destiny,_

_Though it's where I can see_

_It's just to high to reach, no._

_I can't I can't I can't fly with one wing!_

_Yeah, fly with one wing!_

_No, I can't fly, fly with one wing._

_I can't fly with one wing, oh no_

_No matter how hard I try, I can't no._

_I can pray all I want, sister._

_Fly with one wing, no_

_Fly with one wing, I can't I can't I can't_

_Fly, fly, fly, fly._

_I can't fly with one wing, but I can't_

_I can't fly with one wing, I can't_

_I can't fly with one wing, I can't._

_Oh oh oh._

_"Where Do Broken Hearts Go"_

_I know it's been some time_

_But there's something on my mind_

_You see, I haven't been the same_

_Since that cold November day..._

_We said we needed space_

_But all we found was an empty place_

_And the only thing I learned_

_Is that I need you desperately..._

_So here I am_

_And can you please tell me... oh_

_[Chorus:]_

_Where do broken hearts go_

_Can they find their way home_

_Back to the open arms_

_Of a love that's waiting there_

_And if somebody loves you_

_Won't they always love you_

_I look in your eyes_

_And I know that you still care, for me_

_I've been around enough to know_

_That dreams don't turn to gold_

_And that there is no easy way_

_No you just can't run away..._

_And what we have is so much more_

_Than we ever had before_

_And no matter how I try_

_You're always on my mind_

_[chorus]_

_And now that I am here with you_

_I'll never let you go_

_I look into your eyes_

_And now I know, now I know..._

By the end of the songs her eyes are brimmed with tears. She still smiles and waves to audience, Sokka jumps and and down applauding. She doesn't see Zuko, she guesses he left.

Now she sits at the restaurant table with Sokka and picks at her strawberry parfait. The others have gone to catch a late night movie. She's already eaten a huge burge and fries and downed an enter glass of soda. This illness still hasn't left her. She sighs and pushes away her plate.

"That Zuko guy was looking around for you, I didn't tell him where you were but Yue did." Sokka says dryly as he flips through the menu to find something else to order. "Did you talk to em?"

She thinks back on the dressing room, the flowers he bought her, the shame in his she's and the truth in his tone. "I saw him but I didn't want to talk to him."

"Why not?"

"You know how I am about visitors before a performance. Besides, there wasn't enough time anyway." She says lowly. Sokka eyes her a while.

"Did something happen?"

"No." She says in exasperation. "Nothing happened."

"Yeah, I hear you." He doesn't believe her. "I saw Jet the other day, someone roughed him up real nice. I wanna thank whoever it was that did it, kinda sad I didn't have a go at him."

"He deserves everything that comes at him." Katara takes a drink from her water.

"Tell me about it." Sokka scoffs. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Halloween shopping and..." She remembers the banquet invitation that's on her dresser in her bedroom. Lu Ten gave it to her one day last week, she was going to go but now she isn't. "That's about it."

"Great, wanna have a movie night?" Sokka asks. "You haven't really been around lately."

"Don't tell me your missing your little sisters company."

"Somewhat, I miss Madame fussy bridges."

Katara has been MIA lately, distancing herself from her friends and avoiding just about every social activity that they try to involve her in.

"I'll go, it's nothing else to do on a Friday night anyway."

"By the way, I'm spending the weekend at your place."

"What? Why?" She almost whines. Katara loves her brother, she really does but he's not the easiest person to sleep with. She remembers that In college she and him were roommates, and also when they were younger and had to share a room. He snores so loud that whole neighborhood could hear him, he gets up all through the night eating chips and candy, he's a crazy sleeper and he sleep talks about the craziest things. Plus he passes so much toxic gas! Sokka spent one night and when she woke up the next morning her pantry was empty of all snacks. It's safe to say that her brother has a problem.

"Because Yue's going out to her parents this weekend and Aang is leaving off to the northern air temple. Toph has been too busy with Haru and probably have stuff planned."

"So, you're scared to be alone?"

"What? I'm a warrior by heart! I'm not scared of anything! It'll be fun, you know? It'll be like the good old days back before we had to grow up as adults."

"Right..." She takes a sip from her drink. "So, did you uh...Did you talk to dad?"

Sokka freezes momentarily and then finishes buttering his roll. "Not today." He looks up at her. "Don't worry about that, he'll come around someday."

"Yeah, someday." She repeats sarcastically.

**.0.**

Katara sighs after she puts down her hot chocolate early the next morning. The cafe is full of men and women in office suits with briefcases. She should pick a new place for her drinks, this ones starting to irk her and not to mention it's right across the street from Zuko's job. She hopes she doesn't run into him. She left Sokka at home fast asleep, he'll be grumpy when he awakens and sees that she didn't cook him any breakfast. Katara will just stop and get him something on the way back home, he won't get up until noon anyway. Being a CIA agent and all he should be curbing his sleep patterns.

Outside it's a bit sunny, the leaves on the trees are turning gold, brown, and orange. They litter the streets and Katara thinks it's beautiful. It would be even more beautiful if it snows, the temperature has already dropped to the fifties. She checks her text messages and has just put her EarPods in when someone approaches her and sits down in the chair across from her.

"Good morning, Katara." It's Lu Ten. He has a cup of steaming coffee in his hand and a box of something in the other.

"Good morning." She greets back, "I didn't know you came here. "

He shrugs. "Yeah well, I got a little break from my work and the nearest burger joint is six blocks away, I have to take it to go. I gotta get right back. Plus I heard they make some pretty great sandwiches here."

Katara doesn't mind Lu Tens conversation, as a matter of fact she's never held a conversation with him. She won't make him go away though, he hasn't done her anything.

"I've only had them once." She puts more hazelnut into her drink. "Does your boss know you're having leisure time on the clock?"

"Zuko? I'm trying to spend as much time away from him as I can. Guys been a bomb just waiting to explode these couple of days." Lu Ten shrugs one shoulder. "Had to keep him from beating that new intern to death."

Her eyebrows come in. "What new intern are you talking about?"

"A man named Jet. When I asked Zuko why he beat him he wouldn't say."

So Zuko beat up Jet? But, why?

"So, I gotta go. Are you still coming to the banquet?"

"Sorry, but...I don't think it would it-" she stops herself. "Some other things came up and...You know?"

Lu Ten doesn't look like he believes her. "I understand completely, though it would've been a pleasure to have you there. I'll tell Zuko I saw-"

"-No!" She quickly cuts him off. "No, I don't want..."

"Alright, it was nice seeing you."

"You too."

Katara watches him leave the cafe and sighs. There's no way in hell that she's going anywhere near him.

She's in the candy aisle of the grocery store when her phone rings. Sokka has sent her a text message that tells her to bring food. She rolls her eyes and sticks the phone back in her pocket. She picks out random bags filled with candy and tosses them into her basket. This'll be her first Halloween in her own home. The first Halloween, she was too depressed and messed up to celebrate it properly. The children of the neighborhood rang her door bell and she couldn't even get out of bed to answer them.

Katara decides to make her regular grocerieswhile she's here and has time. Luckily for her she doesn't have class on Fridays, but Tahno has offered her to work Saturdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Wednesdays. She took it, it's not like she's doing any else at nighttime. She stands on the tips of her toes to reach a can of milk but it's too far back and she's way too short. She's about to give up when another arm reaches easily to gets it. It's lean and muscular. She turns to see Kouga standing there with a crooked grin.

"I always knew you're shortness would come back on you." He jokes.

"It's not like I asked for it, but there's nothing I can do about that." She looks him over for a second, it looks like he just came from the gym. He's only wearing a tank top and gym shorts. He has no basket or anything, which is strange seeing as though they're in a grocery store.

"Well, you gotta own it." He looks at her full basket. "So, am I invited to dinner? It looks like you're ready to cook a five star meal."

"I don't cook that much really, but I have to get some food in the house."

"Yeah, you work tonight?" He walks with her as she goes down the aisles and gets the rest of her groceries. For some reason she she gets the jitters when she's around Kouga. It must be because of his high levels of sex appeal.

"Yeah, and I took up the new shift he gave me. It's not like I was doing anything else."

"What? No man at home?"

She gives him a look.

He puts his hands up in defense. "Hey, I didn't know!"

"I know you didn't but still, not really something that I want to talk about."

"Oh..." He scratches his arm. "You know we're having live entertainment tomorrow night, I forgot the bands name. I know that Tahno wouldn't stop talking about it."

"The busier the better."

Kouga checks his phone before stuffing it back into his pocket. "I gotta run, but I'll see you tonight?"

"Sure."

When he leaves she gets the rest of her things abs checks out. The cashier is more than happy today, it's almost creepy but at least she's friendly. When Katara makes it home Sokka is waiting on the front steps complaining about his hunger pains. She ignores his whining as they take the bags out the car and put the items away in the kitchen.

"So are you cooking or...?" Sokka asks, rubbing his growling stomach.

"You've already eaten all the snacks again, what more do you want?" She puts her hands on her hips. "You're such a bottomless pit!" He follows her down into the basement.

"I'm a man! Until I get the meat supply I need I'm gonna be like this!" She goes into the deep freezer and pulls out three large deep dish pizzas.

"Here, knock yourself out." She hands them to him and leaves out. She can hear him scouring for more food still.

She isn't that big on cooking anymore. She barely even eats now. She has to make herself eat and she's barely getting the nourishment from it, that's why she's hungry all the time. The good thing about it is that it isn't showing on the outside. She glances at the club as she heats up a TV dinner. It's only five in the evening. She won't start getting ready for work until eight. She goes into her room and pauses at the invitation on her dresser. She shakes her head and sighs, she sits on her bed and eats her dinner. She can smell the pizza cooking from downstairs, knowing Sokka he's probably cooking all of them at once. After she eats she bathes and changes into some comfortable clothing. Tonight is going to be so busy, so she's going to need all the rest she can get.

She listens to some of Sam Smith's music and relaxes her nerves as she plays a game on her phone. Eventually she turns the music off because of the emotional affect it has on her. Katara goes through her text messages and finds herself in the ones that are exchanged between her and Zuko. It's a lot too, she guesses probably like two thousand messages. She laughs and smiles at some. Then she goes through the pictures they took with her phone the day at the mall. Zuko was so serious and he really didn't want to take any, so Katara took some without him. She made silly faces besides him until he finally looked up and saw what she was doing. She caught a rare smile that he barely shows, she frowns when she sees that hers was real too.

"Stupid Zuko." She wipes the corners of her eyes and stares at the invitation on her dresser. "Stupid spoiled boy."

She goes over and picks it up. It's entirely red and has golden writing, the card feels like velvet. The banquet is supposed to start at eight, now it's seven. She must've started at it for at least thirty minutes before she puts it back down and paces back and forth in her room. Sokka laughs loudly at something from downstairs, he has the television sky high.

She bites her nails and gives the card one last look before she makes a phone call.

**.0.**

Zuko stands at the foot of the golden red carpeted stairs that lead to the entrance of the banquet. His father, mother, uncle and sister are somewhere around, greeting guests and making nice. All the tables have red clothes over them with golden chairs and silverware. It's already pretty packed and the band has already steered playing Mozart. There's a stand at the head of the large room for the heads of the company to make their speeches, Zuko hopes he won't have to get up there.

He only nods at the guests as the descend down the stairs in their formal wear. He's almost blinded by the shining diamonds and other flawless jewelry the women are wearing. He adjusts his suit, eyes trained on the doors that will soon be closing.

"Do you think she's coming?" Lu Ten appears beside him with a glass of wine.

"I don't know, probably not. The last thing she wants to see is me, especially after what I told her."

"What'd you tell her?" Lu Ten frowns. "I hope it wasn't something that could make her hate you for all eternity."

"It's worse than that." Zuko sighs. "Way worse."

Before Lu Ten can come up with a response Ursa appears. Her hair is down and she's wearing a floor length one sleeved red

gown, golden earrings dangle in her ear and the only makeup she's wearing is the ruby red lipstick.

"Look at you two," She hugs her son and nephew tightly. "You look so handsome!"

"Yeah, I clean up real good." Lu Ten drinks the rest of his wine as his eyes follow some woman's backside. He hands Zuko his empty glass. "If you'll excuse me, there's something that needs my immediate attention." Zuko scoffs as his cousin walks away.

"So where is she? Where's my girl?" Ursa smooths up Zuko's hair. "Where's my beautiful Katara?" He softly pats her hands away.

"I guess..." Zuko turns to see the doors closing. "She couldn't make it." Zuko won't tell his mother what really happened, if he did she scold him so bad, and Azula won't make things any better.

"Oh, well that's too bad." Ursa frowns and takes his hand. "Come on, let's go take our seats. It's about to start."

Now Zuko sits slumped in his seat with Azula on his left and his mother across from him. Next to Azula, much to his dismay sits Mai and Ty Lee. His father is on his right and Iroh is next to his father with Lu Ten next to him. Zhao is making the speech so boring. And drawn out, even Azula's looking like she's about to go to sleep. Mai keeps glancing at Zuko every time she takes a sip of wine. Ozai won't let it show but he's ready for the mans speech to be over as well. Zuko checks his phone under the table, no messages or missed calls from Katara. He roughly stuffs his phone back in his pocket, he's really messed up. How could he be so stupid? He'll never be Able to erase her hurt expression from his mind. He's never seen her like that before. It's deathly quiet still after ten minutes and Zuko feels like he's about to crazy.

_"Keep still!" _Azula whispers harshly when he accidentally nudges her for the third time. She elbows him in the ribs and he shoves her, she ignites a flame in her hand. Ozai gives them both a sharp look, and Azula extinguishes her flame. Then, the doors behind them creak open, and all heads turn to the back of the room, even Zhao stops talking and everyone gasps. There are some whistles around the room as the woman steps gracefully down the stairs. Zuko's eyes widen at the sight of her.

She's wearing a black form fitting halter top dress. It clings to her curves, one side is long and drops the floor while the other half of the dress stops at her mid thigh. Around her neck is a golden necklace that glitters and shines. Her long, smooth caramel leg is exposed. She's wearing a pair of gold heels with a golden arm cuff in her left arm. Her hair hangs freely down in front of her shoulders, it's curled in luxurious curls and they bounce when she walks. Her lips have a nude pink lipstick color on them, her eyes are lined in black with smokey eyeshadow and she's wearing a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Wow, whose that?" Ty Lee asks, "She's so pretty!" By this time Zuko has already jumped up and he's walking briskly to the stairs. She gives him a half smile.

"I thought you wouldn't come." He says as he takes her extended hand. She loops her arm through his, God she smells amazing. "You look so beautiful tonight."

"I wasn't going to come but I made a promise, and you don't look too bad yourself." She says as she presses to his side. Zuko notices how all the people in the room have their eyes on her, he moves his arm to around her waist.

"Oh, I'm so glad you made it!" Ursa claps happily when she sees Katara. Zuko moves over so that Katara can sit besides him, Azula's eyebrows raise and Mai frowns deeply. Iroh smiles warmly at her and Lu Ten doesn't even see her. Zhao's speech continues.

"You look beautiful tonight Mrs. Agni, so do you Azula." Katara says politely. Zuko doesn't expect a thank you from Azula, she never really says anything nice. Katara nods at Ozai, he gives her a brief smile.

"You too, I love your dress. Is that Dior?" Zuko does a double take at his sister. Since when did she...?

"Uh, no actually it's Armani."

Azula gives her an appeasing look. Zuko takes Katara's hand under the table as Zhao closes his speech. She squeezes his hand back but doesn't look at him, instead she keeps her eyes on the podium when it's Ozai's turn. His fathers speech is powerful, brief and well thought of. When the food is served Iroh engrosses Katara with the wonders of philosophy and tea, while Ursa converses with her friends about wedding plans.

Zuko watches her the entire time from across the room with his father. She laughs at something that his mother tells her, then the older woman pulls her into a tight hug. Katara and Zuko lock eyes and she pulls away before he can.

"She's quite the woman." Ozai says. "I'm guessing you have plans on marrying her?"

"Actually no, we're just friends." Zuko rubs the back of his neck.

"Just friends?" Jee looks at him like he's crazy. "That's the craziest thing I've heard in a long time!"

"I've never seen friends behave like that." Lu Ten adds. Zuko doesn't reply, he excuses himself when he sees Katara leave for the balcony. She's leaning on the railing looking up at the night sky when he gets to her. She turns when he steps out into the night air.

"Hey." She says softy.

"Hey." He peers down into her bright blue eyes. "You uh, you look beautiful again but the way." It's strange to be talking to her again especially after what happened. "Again I'm sorry too about what I said-"

"-Don't worry about it really. It's okay." She smiles. He doesn't say anything after that, he just stares at her. They're mere inches apart from each other, he remembers how soft her lips are...

"Is something wrong?" She asks.

Zuko shakes his head. "No, it's just that there's something I wanna tell you." He walks off a bit with his hands in his pockets. Where could he start? He's never done this before.

"What is it?"

He takes a deep shuddering breath. "I've been meaning to tell you this for a while now. See, the thing is..." He sighs. He isn't good with expressing his feelings. "I'm not good with this at all.

"That's alright, just tell me." She adjusts his tie.

"It's just that I want us to be more than friends, I've wanted it that way since the day I met you." She freezes. Then she looks up at him, so many emotions flash through her eyes. She pulls away.

"Don't say things like that."

"Why not?" He frowns. "You're smart, you're funny, strong, beautiful, kind and caring. Don't tell me you don't feel the same way."

"I can't tell you anything." She turns back to him. "We're just friends Zuko."

"If we're just friends then tell me what the hell we've been doing these last few months." He says strongly, there's no way that doesn't feel something for him. He can tell by the way she looks at him, how she kisses and hugs him.

"That didn't mean anything. It was nothing."

"No," he steps towards her. "It was something real and special."

"No." She shakes her head. "It was...it was just a fling, I'm sorry, Zuko. I don't think...I can't see you anymore, I can't love you. Just forget about me."

Zuko watches her leave. He stands there dumbstruck, heartbroken and confused as the woman of his dreams runs away.

**Read and Review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Nine**

Katara stares at him with frustration and he stands there arrogantly with his arms folded over his chest. It's been three days since the banquet and Katara has been avoiding him. Zuko had confessed his feelings to her that night on the balcony and she hasn't been right ever since. That was the worst thing he could ever say to her. Just a few moments ago he was tearing down her front door, kicking It and pounding on it. When she's finally found the strength inside her to let him in he came in like a tornado.

_"I don't believe a damned thing you're saying!" _He had said. "You have feelings for me too, you're just too scared to admit it."

That set off the worst argument ever. They exchanged words for over three hours, back and forth back and forth and Katara is surprised she hasn't broken down yet. She turns her back on him and tries to go up the stairs. "Leave me alone Zuko."

"No, you're gonna stay here and talk to me about this." He grabs hold of her waist and pulls her away the stairs. She kicks and wriggles to get out of his grasp but he's stronger than her. He dumps her down on the sofa but she gets up and tackles to the floor.

"Why must you be do damn stubborn?" Zuko grunts. Katara gets off him and kicks him in the ribs before she attempts to run away. Zuko catches her ankle and she falls flat on her stomach. She's refuses to talk about this. She'll fight him to the death before she does that.

"Get off of me!" She yells when straddles her. She's had years and years of experience in fighting. She fought her brother and cousins all the time, she grew up around brawlers. She punches and slaps at him, Zuko only fights through her attacks but one slips through and nails him right in the jaw. He grabs hold of his jaw and releases her. She gets off the floor and fixes her hair.

"What the hell?!" He rubs his sore jaw. "What? Are you made of _cement_ or something?"

"I told you to get off of me, you wouldn't listen."

"You're running away from the problem Katara, I'm trying to get through to you and make you understand-"

"-What do you want from me?" She throws her hands up in the air in frustration. He follows her into the kitchen.

"I want to know every thing, why are you so afraid to be with me? You're letting whatever happen in your past control your present and future. Just what did Jet-"

She cringes at the name and glares at him. "You really wanna know? Let me see, where do I begin?" Zuko remains silent. "Do I start with the drinking, maybe the mental and even physical abuse that he put me through. No, how about the miscarriage at three months because of him! Or what about all the lying and cheating? What about all the trouble he got me into? No, wait. Let me think for minute. It's probably because of my cancelled wedding. All the stress and humiliation. Or maybe it's because he made me feel like absolutely nothing, and I wasted three years on someone like him. Now I can't trust or love or let anyone else in ever again."

By the time she's finished her cheeks her soaked with tears and she's sobbing. There it is, she's laid everything out to him. Katara thought that she'd gotten over Jet and what he'd done to her. She guesses not. Katara won't be surprised if he leaves her there. She's surprised that he's still here, even more surprised when he wraps his arms tightly around her and strokes her hair in a comforting way. He walks her over to the sofa and sits her down.

"You probably want some answers." She wipes her eyes. He sits besides her and holds her hand. He's warm when he presses her up against him and puts his chin on her forehead.

"If it's going to make you breakdown then I don't wanna hear any of it. I don't like seeing you like this."

"It's fine, I'm fine. I haven't been the nicest person kind of, I'm just... It's just time that I got this off my chest." Zuko squeezes her hand.

When she tells Zuko her story, she starts from the very beginning. When she's done she's worn out and the tears have dried, he's angry but he gives her all the comfort that she needs. What really hurt her the most were the miscarriage, the cheating and the drunken abuse. She doesn't think that she'll ever be able to get over that.

"It's not that I was avoiding you or ditching you, I just...I can't let anyone get too close to me. When I left you on the balcony that night after you told me how you felt these red flags went up in my mind." She rubs her eyes. "I do have feelings for you, i like you a lot, probably more than a lot, more than I should. I know that that was way more than a fling. I want to be with you, one day I want to love you. It's just...I'm scared. I'm so scared of being hurt again."

"It takes a strong man to handle a woman that's been broken before. I figure that if she's worth it a man will pick up the pieces, he'll take the time to teach her how to trust again, he'll teach her how to love. I know you've been through a lot in your life, way more than a lot." He strokes her hair.

"So what does that mean?"

"It means that I'll do whatever it takes, I don't care how long it takes. I'll show you what it's like to be treated with love and respect. As long as I'm breathing, hell, even when I'm dead, I promise you." He puts his warm hands on her wet cheeks. "I promise you that I won't ever hurt you. Every man isn't like that Katara. I won't rush you into anything, but I swear that if you let me show you, you won't regret it."

Zuko stays with her that night even though she insists that he doesn't have to. He keeps his arms wrapped tight around her body and for the first time in a long time Katara truly feels safe.

**.0.**

"I can take off," he tells her when she walks him out to his car the next morning. "It won't be a big deal." Katara doesn't think that'll be such a good idea if he takes off from work again, his father has already threatened to fire him once. There's no telling how many times he threatened him before they met.

"It's okay. I've got class in a few hours anyway." She manages a smile. He leans down to kiss her, but he hesitates as if he thinks that he shouldn't. He settles for her cheek instead, though Katara doesn't mind. This time she won't make the same mistakes that she made in the past. If she's going to be with Zuko she's going to have to be able to call him her best friend before she calls him something more than that. Though now he's more than a friend. Actually, more than a best friend. She just knows that he holds a special place in her life now. Katara watches him drive off and turn the corner before she goes back inside to get dressed.

Her class goes by surprisingly fast today. That's a good thing, she usually gets tired after long periods of sitting. The professor gave them a shitload of homework to do though, but Katara figures she can just get Sokka to do it. As soon as she leaves shook she goes straight to the theater. She has so much new material to lay down, so much inspiration that she needs to release. She's glad that she picked this time to come, the place is totally empty. She takes off her coat and scarf as she walks through the lobby and into the theater itself. She doesn't need to bring her notebook in this time, she knows all the words to her songs but sometimes she just freestyles.

Katara slides on the bench at the piano and removes the gloves from her hands. She clears her mind and takes a deep breath before she begins to play.

_And I am telling you_

_I'm not going_

_You're the best man I'll ever know_

_There's no way I can ever go_

_No, no, there's no way_

_No, no, no, no way I'm living without you_

_I'm not living without you_

_I don't wanna be free_

_I'm staying_

_I'm staying_

_And you, and you_

_You're gonna love me, oh ooh mm mm_

_You're gonna love me_

_And I am telling you_

_I'm not going_

_Even though the rough times are showing_

_There's just no way, there's no way_

_We're part of the same place_

_We're part of the same time_

_We both share the same blood_

_We both have the same mind_

_And time and time, we've had so much to see and_

_No, no, no, no, no, no way_

_I'm not waking up tomorrow morning and finding that there's nobody there_

_Darling there's no way_

_No, no, no, no way I'm living without you_

_I'm not living without you_

_You see there's just no way, there's no way_

_Please don't go away from me_

_Stay with me stay with me_

_Stay, stay and hold me_

_Stay, stay and hold me_

_Please stay and hold me, Mr. Man,_

_Try it mister, try it mister_

_I know, I know, I know you can_

_Tear down the mountains_

_Yell, scream and shout like you can say what you want_

_I'm not walking out_

_Stop all the rivers, push, strike and kill_

_I'm not gonna leave you_

_There's no way I will_

_And I am telling you_

_I'm not going_

_You're the best man I'll ever know_

_There's no way I could ever, ever go_

_No, no, no, no way_

_No, no, no, no way I'm living without you_

_Oh, I'm not living without you,_

_Not living without you_

_I don't wanna be free_

_I'm staying, I'm staying_

_And you, and you, and you_

_You're gonna love me_

_You're gonna love me, yes you are_

_Ooh ooh love me, ooh ooh ooh love me_

_Love me, love me, love me, love me_

_You're gonna love me_

_If I should stay_

_I would only be in your way_

_So I'll go but I know_

_I'll think of you every step of the way_

_And I... will always love you, ooh_

_Will always love you_

_You_

_My darling, you..._

_Mmm-mm_

_Bittersweet memories –_

_That is all I'm taking with me._

_So good-bye._

_Please don't cry:_

_We both know I'm not what you, you need_

_And I... will always love you_

_I... will always love you_

_You, ooh_

_[Instrumental / Sax solo]_

_I hope life treats you kind_

_And I hope you have all you've dreamed of_

_And I wish you joy and happiness_

_But above all this I wish you love_

_And I... will always love you_

_I will always love you_

_I will always love you_

_I will always love you_

_I will always love you_

_I, I will always love you._

_You._

_Darling, I love you._

_I'll always..._

_I'll always love you._

_Ooh_

_Ooh_

_Share my life, take me for what I am_

_'Cause I'll never change all my colours for you_

_Take my love, I'll never ask for too much_

_Just all that you are and everything that you do_

_I don't really need to look very much further_

_I don't wanna have to go where you don't follow_

_I won't hold it back again, this passion inside_

_Can't run from myself_

_There's nowhere to hide_

_Don't make me close one more door_

_I don't wanna hurt anymore_

_Stay in my arms if you dare_

_Or must I imagine you there_

_Don't walk away from me..._

_I have nothing, nothing, nothing_

_If I don't have you, you, you, you, you._

_You see through right to the heart of me_

_You break down my walls with the strength of your love_

_I never knew love like I've known it with you_

_Will a memory survive, one I can hold on to_

_I don't really need to look very much further_

_I don't wanna have to go where you don't follow_

_I won't hold it back again, this passion inside_

_I can't run from myself_

_There's nowhere to hide_

_Your love I'll remember forever_

_Don't make me close one more door_

_I don't wanna hurt anymore_

_Stay in my arms if you dare_

_Or must I imagine you there_

_Don't walk away from me..._

_I have nothing, nothing, nothing..._

_Don't make me close one more door_

_I don't wanna hurt anymore_

_Stay in my arms if you dare_

_Or must I imagine you there_

_Don't walk away from me, no._

_Don't walk away from me_

_Don't you dare walk away from me_

_I have nothing, nothing, nothing_

_If I don't have you, you,_

_If I don't have you, oh, ooh, ooh._

Someone begins clapping from the doors. A man stands there, she doesn't recognize him. His hair is jet black and his eyes are the color of honey. He's wearing an expensive looking suit, not to mention he's pretty handsome. He continues clapping as he approaches the stage.

"That was just beautiful, you have the voice of a million angels." He compliments. "You are very talented."

"Thank you...?" Katara can't talk to someone without at least knowing what their name is.

"My name is Situ Hung, I'm a scout for Republic Records." He goes into his jacket pocket and pulls out a card and hands it to her. Katara takes it and examines it. Republic Records is one of the most prominent music business in the entire world.

"I'm Katara." She says. "That what you heard, I wasn't really serious."

"Well, serious or not it sounded great to me. I think you'll sound even greater to the headman."

Her eyes widen a little. "You mean you're offering me a deal?"

"That's not my call, that's all up to the headman. How about an interview next Monday?"

"An interview? At Republic Records?" She can't believe it. Maybe she finally has a shot at shooting for her dreams. "I'd love that!" Sitsu Hung nods and smiles.

"Good. Make sure you bring your A game." He flashes her a smile.

When Sitsu leaves Katara remains seated at the piano, holding what could be the biggest opportunity of her life in her hands.

She doesn't tell anyone about what happened at the theater. She's going to wait until after Monday, she doesn't want to get anyone's hopes up. Aang comes by later that evening while she's doing her homework. He doesn't say much at first, he just sits at the island feeding MoMo cranberries. Every time her phone rings he watches her, he must know that she's talking to someone. Eventually she stops her work all together and holds her conversation with Zuko.

Katara can instantly tell that something's wrong. Shes known him for as long as she can remember, she knows him like she knows the back of her hand.

"That guy who came to the theater last week... who is he?" Katara pauses in her writing but she doesn't look up.

"His names Zuko." She continues writing, Aang frowns. "Why?"

"I don't like him." He almost glares when her phone rings again. "That's who you're talking to now isn't it?"

"What? Why don't you like him?"

Aang's frown deepens and he lets MoMo out

of his arms. "Why can't you see it?"

"Aang, can you please stop talking in riddles? This is starting to give me a headache."

"You mean you really can't see it? He doesn't deserve you, Katara."

"You don't even know him but yet you don't like him. Then, as a matter of-"

"- But I've seen the way you two look at each other that night. Its hard to miss!"

Katara sighs and stops her writing. "Then who does deserve me Aang?"

"Me!" He half shouts. "It's been me all along! First it was Jet and now it's this guy. It's like I don't even exist to you. I've been in love with you since I was ten, but you always over looked me every time. First it was Jet and now it's this guy? What's it about me that you don't like? What makes them better than me?"

"Aang, calm down."

_"No!"_

He stares at her with those puppy dog eyes and she stairs right back. Aang has been in love with her for so long, his advances, compliments, and sweet gestures never stopped. When she was with Jet it was more Aang than Sokka who tried to get her to leave him, he tried to save her so many times. Katara at that time thought that he was just being a jealous child. When she had that miscarriage he cried with her. Besides Aang Zuko is the only other person she's told about that. When Jet hit her that time he saw right through Katara's act, she didn't have enough time to heal the bruises. Aang went crazy, he nearly lost it. Had he not been on the drugs that lock his avatar state the entire world would've been obliterated. She can't even begin to describe how mad Sokka, Toph and Hakoda were. Even the angelic, kind hearted Yue wanted was upset. When she announced their wedding Aang disapproved, greatly.

When she and Jet finally broke up Aang was right there to help her pick up the pieces and try to mend her beyond broken heart. Helped her out of bed, fed her. He and Sokka and Toph practically moved in to be her support system. She was so depressed and angry and drained. She was just a human shell. She knows that Jet knows she took a million dollars from him the night of the breakup, because the next day she went out and bought a house and a new car. She thought that that would relieve some of the pain, but it didn't.

"I still love you." Aang says softly.

"I love you too Aang." She lays her pen on the table. "I love you, but just not in that way."

She knows she's hurt his feelings, his eyes show it all. He's devastated, she feels bad but she'll rather give him the truth Instead of making him feel something with a lie. He shoots up from the table and grabs hold of MoMo.

"Aang, where are you going?" She follows him through the living room and out of the front door. It's cold as he'll outside and she's in nothing but gym shorts and a old t shirt. He jumps into his car and cranks up the engine.

"Away from here. There's nothing here for me." He says in a tone that she's never heard before. She watches him speed off down the street and turn the corner. She sighs and goes back inside. She'll give him time to cool off before she talks to him again. Katara just doesn't know how much time is enough time.

"So," Toph starts the next evening at the bar. "The princess wants us to go wedding dress scouting with her tomorrow. That should be fun. You goin'?"

"It might be fun. You're just saying it won't because you aren't into that kind of thing. One day it'll be you wedding dress shopping." Katara chugs down her drink and slams the glass back down on the bar.

"Yeah right."

"You don't think so?" Katara frowns. "Who wouldn't want to marry you? Toph, you just don't know.."

"Know what?"

"All the men you attract, like now. They can't keep their eyes off you."

A blush creeps to her cheeks. "Yeah, whatever. I've been thinking about Haru a bit though...Do you think he really likes me? You go to school with him, does he...?"

"We don't take any classes together but I see him around sometimes between classes. He's just nervous." Katara has yet to figure out who became infatuated with who first. Toph is so rough and rigid around the edges where Haru is sweet, kind, gentle and loving. Her phone vibrates in her pocket, she pulls it out to see that Zuko has texted her, a small smile spreads to her lips. They've been texting since he left her house that morning. He's supposed to be coming over later on tonight to bring her to his place when he knocks off. She can honestly say that she can't wait.

_Wyd_

_At a bar w/ Toph Wyd_

_Stuck in a meeting :(_

_Awww, it'll get better._

_Imy_

"Nervous of what?" Toph asks.

"He's been wanting to ask you out on a date for a while now, he's just scared you might say no."

_Don't I feel special :) lol. Imy2_

_You are. Don't drink too much._

_I won't._

"Oh..." She blows her hair out of her. Katara beckons for the bartender to refill her shot glass.

_I was thinking tonight could be Netflix and pizza._

_That's perfect._

"Alright, you know what? I'll help you two. I'll put you two together."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Thanks SugarQueen." Toph drinks the rest of her first when Katara first met Toph in the sixth grade, she didn't like the girl at all. She was so blunt, rough and tough! They had arguments as soon as Toph walked into the classroom. They became friends when Katara stopped some kids from bullying her, she froze them all to the brick wall and after that Toph helped her with her arithmetic lessons. The two found out they had more in common than they thought, and they quickly became best friends.

"No problem." She smiles. "So, I have an interview over at Republic records Monday. A scout came and saw me at the theater yesterday. I think that this is a start, I probably have a shot at achieving my goal."

"Republic Records?" Toph whistles. "Wow, that's just...wow. Have you told Sokka and your dad?"

"No, you're the only person who knows. I wanna know for sure that I have something. I don't wanna give out any false information."

"What about your school?"

Katara turns to her. "I've already been to college once, I have a degree already. All my life I wanted this, now I finally have a shot."

"I know. Just...do what makes you happy." Toph says. "Besides, then I'll have a famous best friend."

"I just want a career in something that I love doing." Katara smiles. "This is very...I just can't wait."

"Me either. So what about that Zuko guy?"

"What about him?"

"You two screwing or not?"

"Toph!" The water bender nearly chokes on her drink. "Do you have to be so blunt?"

"Yes."

"Well, we're just friends..But between you and me, we only did it one time..."

"So how was it?"

"Amazing." She can feel the heat cooking up between her legs just by thinking about it. Zuko is a very, very great lover. Toph's eyebrows raise, then she excuses herself to go to the bathroom. Katara checks her phone when she's gone, she's a bit drunk so she doesn't notice someone coming to stand beside her.

"Well, look what we have here."

_Smellerbee_. She stands there wearing all black, she looks so pale in this dim lighting.

"Go away, Smellerbee." Katara says curtly as she tucks her phone in her pocket. She isn't in the mood for her and little insults. Ever since she's been back in the city Smellerbee seems to be almost everywhere that Katara is. Smellerbee has always been so jealous of Katara, mostly because of Jet. She always pushes her to her limits, she goes too far and she doesn't know when to stop.

"Resorting to the bars now are?" The other woman shakes her head. "Still in those anger management and AA meetings?"

Katara glares at her. Just who does she think she is? "That's none of your-"

"- I know, it's not. Yet I can see why Jet left. You can't keep yourself stable just like you can't keep a baby alive."

That was when Katara's ice covered fist smashed across smellerbee's face.

**.0.**

"Alright Khalan! You cut it out!" The police officer says roughly. She's just wriggles free out of his hold and got only a few feet away before he caught her. He squeezes her arm as he leads her down to the holding cell.

"Fuck you." She snorts.

"I get off at seven."

She scowls at him. She's been fighting them and cursing them since they pulled her off Smellerbee at the bar. It was a very messy fight, and since Smellerbee had no weapons on her and she was drunk at the moment that really let Katara get the upper hand on her. She didn't use her bending, she didn't use any weapons. She used her bare fists. Smellerbee took things too far, Katara doesn't care if she miscarried. You don't not talk about a woman's miscarriage. Katara guesses that she reacted that way because she isn't over that. She's called Sokka a few minutes ago, he should be here any minute to get her out.

Again.

For the twelth time.

In her entire life.

It's not that she's a delinquent, all her charges are minor. It's just things like speeding with no license, assault,

At least this time she got in trouble on her own, Jet isn't involved. She's pushed into a cell a bit roughly, she spins around to glare at the man.

"Well, look what we have here." A cold voice says. Katara turns to her right and she frowns.

"Mai."

**.0.**

**Sorry it's so short but the next one will be better. At least now we're progressing, and we get a little sneak peak into Katara's past. **

***Don't judge her* lol, everyone makes mistakes in their life and Katara has that temper of hers and all. **

**I don't want Katara to be weak in any of my fanfics, but now her and Zuko are getting somewhere. **

**Review Question: How do you feel about the fanfic so far? Should we input a bit of Katara/Situ Hung or Kouga/Katara? **

**since Zuko is infact a jealous person...**

**It would be interesting. **

**I love my readers and reviewers. :)**

**You guys are just so darn inspirational. **

**I do it for not only me, but you all as well!**

**I WILL continue my stories, I will DELETE NONE OF THEM!**

**Songs used:**

**jennifer Hudson: And I am telling you I am not going**

**Whitey Houston: I Will always Love you**

**I Have Nothing**

**Read and Review**


	10. Chapter 10

**Story title:** I Wont Give Up

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**A:N I WILL be continuing Caged Birds :) I won't abandon it because I have a really good plot, i'm just taking my time with it. I'm still typing my chapters on my iphone, I haven't bought a new laptop yet. I know I probably update too soon too regularly, but I'm ahead by two chapters in this story :)**

**Ten **

"Well, you're the last person I expect to see here. What did you do? Get in trouble for your little knives?" Katara scoffs as she sits in a chair by the wall.

"Speeding tickets that I never paid."

Katara doesn't say anything then. She just sticks her hands in her pockets and leans back. She can feel Mai's eyes on her the entire time, but she doesn't care that she's looking at her. As a matter of fact she doesn't mind it at all. It isn't that Mai is an ugly girl, she's very pretty to Katara. It's just the fact that she keeps trying to come on to Zuko, unless Katara's just thinking that because she has feelings for the man herself. At least now her little buzz is gone and she's thinking way clearer than before.

"What about you?"

"Disturbing the peace and assault."

"Very classy of you."

"Look, I'm _not perfect _and neither are you."

"Isn't that the truth." Mai scoffs.

Katara ignores her the rest of the time and checks her hands, her knuckles only have a few scrapes on them. They're going to be completely healed in a little while. Hopefully she gets out of here soon before Zuko gets off work. She doesn't want Zuko to know this, she doesn't want him to know about her bad side. But since she's in a jail cell with Mai his whole family may know. Mai gets out before her, her parents come to pick her up and they don't seem too happy about having to bail their daughter out of jail.

Katara remembers when Hakoda had to come and get her from the police station. He was so pissed off at her, she was sixteen at the time. Her, Jet her cousin Hahn and some other friends of theirs had snuck into the football stadium and threw a party. Then the cops busted them but only Katara and Hahn were caught. She was grounded for three months after that.

It's hours before they call her name to get out. She was starting to think that Sokka forgot about her. A regular big brother would be scolding his little sister about committing acts of violence in the public, but Sokka isn't a regular big brother. He lectures her though, even though he wanted to know every detail about her little scuffle that Katara isn't too proud of. But luckily for her she gets back to her car and makes it home before Zuko shows up. She manages to take a shower and change her clothes before he gets there. When she looks in the mirror It looks like nothing ever even happened, that's a good thing.

When she opens the door for him he's wearing nothing but his suit pants and a white button up shirt, his tie is loosened around his neck. He gives her a lopsided grin and takes her hand. The ride is silent and smooth, that is until Katara smells that delicious aroma coming from the backseat. She gets out of her seatbelt and turns to reach her hands into the backseat. She's so hungry, she hadn't eaten anything that day. She grabs the first box that's on top and breathes in. She loves pizza so much.

"What all did you do today?" She cringes at that question as she takes a piece of pizza in her hand.

"Uh, nothing much. I just had class and went for a few drinks with Toph. That's all, nothing special." She bites into the chewy goodness. She sees Zuko glance at her with an amused expression out the corner of her eye. "What about you? What did you do all today?"

"Sit around a table with a bunch of old crows." He frowns.

"Well that sounds fun."

"Trust me, it isn't."

Now she's sitting in the middle of his bed with her legs tucked under her. Now that he had the lights on she can see his place more clearly. It's way bigger than she thought it was, it just looks like a regular bachelor pad. She puts his remote down on the nightstand when she can't find anything to watch. Zuko tried to find something a few moments ago but he didn't have any luck either. Some movie night this was, but she doesn't really care what they do. They can sit and watch frog porn, as long as it's with him.

"You know, this is a beautiful view." She says when she goes over to the wall window. She calls it that because the wall is just one big window. She can see the busy city stress and the cars passing below. It's dusk now, almost nighttime. There's a full moon that hangs high in the star riddled sky and it's about to drive her insane. She just can't stop looking at it. It's so beautiful and powerful.

Katara remembers when her mother would go outside in the backyard every night and stare up at the moon. They would talk about everything, they didn't hold anything back from each other. Her mother was a strong water bender. That's where Katara learned a lot of her skills from, though she doesn't use her bending as much as she used to.

She misses her so much.

She puts her hand on the glass, it's so cool. When she looks at her faint reflection she can see her mother there, she looks so much like her, acts so much like her. Katara guesses that's why her father won't come to any of her performances, he's going to see just how much she's like Kya.

A bigger hand is placed over Katara's small hand and an arm loops around her waist and pulls her close. Zuko lays his head on her shoulder, it's amazing how he can make her feel better without even saying a word.

"The view is very beautiful." Zuko says. Katara knows that he isn't talking about the stars and city lights. He's talking about her.

She turns to face him, and the first thing she notices are the two tattoos that are on his chest and under his upper arm. One is the Japanese symbol for peace and the other one is a scripture from what appears to be a religious book. She can't really make out the words.

She runs her finger tips over the one that's on his chest, it's so smooth and hard. He watches her the entire time and tightens his arms around her waist. There's a fluttering feeling in her chest and stomach that she's far too familiar with. It's just that they're so close and he's holding her so tightly against him, she can feel everything. When she says everything, she means everything.

"W-When did you get these?" She asks. She mentally curses herself when her voice comes out so weak.

"When I was seventeen."

"Oh." She says quietly. They haven't been this close since the first time they...

"What's the matter?" He asks into her ear. His rough hands rest under her shirt and on her bare hips. She closes her eyes, this feeling of being this close to him is just so amazing.

"Nothing." She says. She bites her bottom lip when she feels his lips on her neck, on that one special spot that he happened to find the first time. His hands move to her stomach and then trails back down to her hips before he presses her hips against his. That elicits a moan from the both of them. When he pulls away she instantly misses his warmth and his fiery touch. She looks up at him in confusion, why did he stop?

"Come to bed. You've got class and I have work in the morning." He looks at her a bit longer, those amber eyes are full of so many emotions. So many emotions that are just for her. He then leaves to turn the rest of the lights out.

Now she's at a battle with herself. She wants him, all of him but then again it may be too soon, like it was the last time. She can't help herself he's like this drug and the more she gets of him that's the more she wants. It's like he's got some kind of spell on her or something. She gets into the bed and moves way to the edge of it, putting as much space between them as possible. When Zuko comes back in he doesn't say a word, he just slides in next to her. She covers her head with a spare pillow and turns her back to him. This sexual tension is going to be the death of her. She knows that he doesn't just want sex, he wants more than that. She wants more to, but for tonight she wants him. She tosses and turns all through the night while Zuko seems to be sleeping as peacefully as a baby. She turns to see his broad chest rising and falling in even patterns.

"You won't ever go to sleep will you?" She jumps at the suddenness of his voice. He turns his head to her, there's no sleepiness in them at all. He never went to sleep he was just faking it.

"Well, it's kind of hard." She turns back around.

"Hard is an understatement."

"_What-? Zuko_!" She blushes madly, good thing that he can't see her face.

"I'm just being honest."

"I see that." There's movement behind her and she freezes. Then she melts again when his hand creeps onto her bare thigh turns her over. He takes her pillow away and tosses it to the side, she has nothing to help her hide anymore. He leans over her and catches her lips with his own. It's so slow and sensual at first, it's like he's testing the waters to make sure it's alright. Then it's heated and full of the passion, the passion that she needs, the passion that she craves from him. He takes her with him and pulls her on top of him when lies flat on his soft bed. When she straddles him she feels exactly what he was talking about.

"We don't have to, we don't have to if you don't want to." He breathes into her ear when his hands slide her shirt up to as high as her bra then they rest on her hips. He wants to and she wants to too. She can't see his face too well in the dark but she can tell he's staring right at her. She leans down and slides her lips over his neck, his grip on her hips tighten and he presses her down on him. A low groan rises from his throat when she rocks on him.

"But I want to." She replies.

"Sure?"

"Yes." He leans up and strokes her cheek in a loving way. She leans into his touch and gasps when she feels his hands attempt to slide off the pajama bottoms that she's not wearing. When the clouds uncover the moon she can see him clearly. His hair falls over his face and he's staring up at her like, like she's the only color in a black and white world.

"Where are your pants?"

"I don't sleep with pants on."

"Oh really?" There's a glint in his eyes, one that she hasn't seen before. He pulls her shirt off and then he moves so that he's the one dominating her. She remembers when he first learned her body, how he took the time to figure out what she liked. He was so careful with her.

He does that again, makes sure that she's comfortable and that he doesn't hurt her. He doesn't just stimulate between her body, he stimulates her mind and soul as well. She loves that. But she notices how much Zuko enjoys when she's on top of him, he doesn't want her to get off. What makes it even better is that when he climaxes her name fills the room. When he does go to sleep Katara stays up and watches him. She's never been this connected with anyone. He stirs in his sleep and his hand searches the bed for her.

She moves back to him and he wraps his arms around and crushes her to him. He mutters something Incoherent into her hair and kisses her forehead. She sighs in bliss before she too falls into a peaceful slumber.

She sighs as she looks at her phone, Aang still hadn't texted her or called her. As a matter of fact no ones seen him since they had that fight. She's starting to get worried.

"What's the matter?" Zuko asks. He flips another page in some employers packet. As soon as she got out of class she went straight to him.

"It's nothing, it's just that I haven't heard from Aang in a few days. He would usually text or call."

"Did you two have a fight or something?"

"Something like that." She shrugs.

He glances at her but he says nothing for a little while. "What about?"

"He's just... We just had a big misunderstanding."

He doesn't pry after that. When Zuko looks at her again he's leaned back in his chair, an air of mirth surrounds him."Care to tell me about your jail visit?"

"What jail visit?"

"You were in jail right before I picked you up from your house last."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She looks at her watch on her wrist and checks the time.

"Mai told Azula and Azula told me. Distributing peace and assault huh?"

"It was a mistake, I didn't mean to."

"What happened?"

"She-"

"-Knock knock!" Someone sings as they come through the door. It's Ursa, smiling from ear to ear. Katara does a double take, did this woman just walk off a runway? Her hair is up in a partial topknot and she's wearing a beautiful grey fur lined trench coat with black skinny jeans and grey heeled boots. The only makeup she's wearing is eyes liner and lipstick. No matter if she's wearing makeup or not, she's still beautiful in Katara's eyes.

When Ursa catches her in her sights she walks quickly to Katara with open arms. "Here she is! Here's my girl!" She hugs her tightly. Katara loves ursa, she's just so free and happy all the time and positive.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in forever." Ursa places her hands on her hips.

"I've been... Just around, kind of busy and all."

"Zuko!" The woman snaps. "Why don't you bring her over for dinner to tonight?"

"Yeah, why don't you bring me over for dinner tonight?" Katara asks.

"You work tonight, that's why." Zuko points out. "And you don't eat meat loaf."

"Don't worry about that. I'll fix all your favorite foods." Ursa pats her hand, Zuko sighs. "Now you make sure you get her there at seven."

"I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to invite Katara to dinner."

"Well, of course not." Ursa runs a hand through her long hair. Katara wonders what conditioner she uses, maybe it's just genetics. She notices how Zuko's hair is the same way, she let's a few strands fall through her fingers.

"Why haven't you gone to see Azulon? He asks about you, you know." Zuko cringes at the name. Katara gives them some space to have their own private conversation. She instead finds interest in a company magazine.

"I already went to see on Independence Day and he tried to beat me with his cane."

"He did not beat you-"

_"-He nearly broke my kneecap and he tried to run Azula over-"_

Katara acts like she didn't hear that part and moves to another magazine.

"-She was in the way and the golf cart couldn't stop, it was an accident. Just, go and see your grandfather." Ursa checks her watch. "Do you hear me Zuko?"

"I'll go."

"When Zuko?"

"As soon as I have time." He grumbles.

"Well, you make it soon." She looks around the office. "You should really think about redecorating, but it was nice to see you again Katara! Make sure not to forget about Friday." She hugs her again and Zuko watches them briefly before he returns back to work.

"You too Mrs. Agni." Katara smiles. As soon as Ursa is out the door Katara spins around to Zuko.

"Why is your mom so hot?"

Zuko chokes on his coffee. "What?"

"I've forgotten to tell her. She's beautiful, does she model? How old is she?"

"I know she is, how do you think I looks so good? She's forty three by the way."

"Well, probably your father." She takes his topknot loose when she sits on his desk and crosses her legs. "She looks great."

"What about your father?"

"What about him?"

Katara shrugs. "Nothing much, he works in an office." She hops down and grabs her bag, "I gotta go."

"Go where?"

She pauses at the door, the biggest smile on her face. "You'll see."

**.0.**

_I'm making a statement of my own opinion_

_Just a brief little reminder to help myself remember_

_I no longer live in your dominion (no, no, no, ooh)_

_You're just trifling, nothing more than a liability_

_Get up and lay all your possessions_

_Outside the kitchen window right now_

_[Chorus:]_

_Letting go, letting go ain't easy_

_Oh, it's just exceedingly hurtful_

_'Cause somebody you used to know_

_Is flinging your world around_

_And they watch, as you're falling down, down_

_Falling down, baby_

_[Verse 2:]_

_Evidently your words were merely lies_

_Reverberating in my ears_

_And the echo won't subside_

_There's a deep deep loss of hope_

_And the anger burns in me_

_I hope you don't get no ideas 'bout re-uniting baby_

_'Cause that's the last thing I truly need_

_Your audacity is too much to be believed, so_

_Go to MiMi on your contacts, press delete_

_[Chorus:]_

_Letting go ain't easy_

_Oh, it's just exceedingly hurtful_

_'Cause somebody you used to know_

_Is flinging your world around_

_And they watch, as you're falling down, down_

_Falling down, baby_

_[Bridge:]_

_Baby letting go, baby letting go_

_Ain't easy, easy_

_Baby letting go, baby letting go (woah)_

_Ain't easy, Ain't easy_

_Noooo_

_[Outro/Chorus:]_

_Baby letting go, it ain't easy_

_'Cause somebody you used to know_

_Is flinging your world around_

_And you know what?_

_They watch as you're falling, as you're falling_

_Down_

_Fall_

_It ain't easy baby_

_Treated me kind_

_Sweet destiny_

_Carried me through desperation_

_To the one that was waiting for me_

_It took so long_

_Still I believed_

_Somehow the one that I needed_

_Would find me eventually_

_I had a vision of love_

_And it was all that you've given to me_

_Prayed through the nights_

_Felt so alone_

_Suffered from alienation_

_Carried the weight on my own_

_Had to be strong_

_So I believed_

_And now I know I've succeded_

_In finding the place I conceived_

_I had a vision of love_

_And it was all that you've given to me_

_I had a vision of love_

_And it was all that you've given me_

_I've realized a dream_

_And I visualized_

_The love that came to be_

_Feel so alive_

_I'm so thankful that I've received_

_The answer that heaven_

_Has sent down to me_

_You treated me kind_

_Sweet destiny_

_And I'll be eternally grateful_

_Holding you so close to me_

_Prayed through the nights_

_So faithfully_

_Knowing the one that I needed_

_Would find me eventually_

_I had a vision of love_

_And it was all that you've given to me_

_I had a vision of love_

_And it was all that you_

_Turned out to be_

_There's a hero_

_If you look inside your heart_

_You don't have to be afraid_

_Of what you are_

_There's an answer_

_If you reach into your soul_

_And the sorrow that you know_

_Will melt away_

_[Chorus:]_

_And then a hero comes along_

_With the strength to carry on_

_And you cast your fears aside_

_And you know you can survive_

_So when you feel like hope is gone_

_Look inside you and be strong_

_And you'll finally see the truth_

_That a hero lies in you_

_It's a long road_

_When you face the world alone_

_No one reaches out a hand_

_For you to hold_

_You can find love_

_If you search within yourself_

_And the emptiness you felt_

_Will disappear_

_[Chorus]_

_Lord knows_

_Dreams are hard to follow_

_But don't let anyone_

_Tear them away_

_Hold on_

_There will be tomorrow_

_In time_

_You'll find the way_

When Katara's done with her performance she stands from the piano. In the studio are Situ Hung and the headman of the record label Tin. Tin is a middle aged man with dark greying hair that's tied in a braid at the back of his head. He has frown lines in his face, and his green eyes twinkle. When Situ Hung said that Tin is a hard man to impress he wasn't lying. Throughout her whole performance she hasn't seen the man crack a single smile. She sung her heart out, she used every bit of emotion in her. This is her chance.

"Marvelous." Situ Hung says as he claps his hands. "I told you she was amazing." He grins at her. Katara thinks that he will be getting paid extra for the people he finds.

Tin says nothing, he just thinks deeply while stroking his beard. "You do realize that it takes raw talent and skill to be in my label don't you?"

Katara slowly nods. "Yes sir."

"Then you should understand that I've had young women come in my studio who were just like you; now tell me, just what makes you so different from them?"

Katara wasn't expecting that question. The longer she stalls, the longer she sees the man losing his patience. She takes a deep breath. "The difference between me and them is that they want the fame and the money. They don't enjoy that talent, they only do it because of what comes with it. Me? I love writing, singing and I love dancing, it's my life. Ever since I was a child I always wanted to do this, I know that this is my calling. I would love a career that will let me be happy, my talent is my happiness. I know I'm not the most amazing singer in the entire world, but I won't sell myself short and say im just okay. If you sign me, I promise I will not let you down."

Tin looks pleased even though he doesn't smile. "It's true that you do have originality, your voice is extremely unique. I would tell you to get your things and get out of my studio..."

Katara frowns and she can feel her heart breaking. She readies herself for the rejection.

"...But I'm not. I know a good egg when i see one. I want you back here in the morning to meet with the rest of my team. Once they're done with you you'll go to the next step." He stands and extends his hand for her to shake. "Katara, welcome to Republic Records!"

**.0.**

**I'm not too satisfied with this chapter.**

**Songs used: Mariah Carey: The Art of Letting Go**

**Mariah Carey: Vision of Love**

**Mariah Carey: Hero**

**Anyways, Read and Review**


	11. Chapter 11

**Story Title:** I Won't Give Up

**Author**:XxToToXx

**Full Summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same.**

**Eleven**

Katara watches her brother as he pays for their skates at the roller skating rink. It's just them on this Saturday, just like it used to be. They haven't done anything together in a while. Before Aang, Toph, and Yue came along Sokka was her very first best friend. She remembers how he would beat the other kids up for trying to bully her on the playground, how he taught her how to Hotwire cars, fight, and everything else. They're siblings, so they still had their moments, some were more physical than others. At first she thought of his protectiveness as annoying, she thought he didn't want her to have any fun or date guys, go out and things like that. College was so complex, they went to the same college as most of the kids from their high school. Poor men were almost too scared to approach her, they had to do it in secret. Then along came Jet and Katara and Sokka's relationship faltered a bit.

He was always trying to get her to leave Jet, he would tell her the stories about the man and at that time Katara thought he was lying. She continuously pushed Sokka away, time after time until he finally had enough. She was so brainwashed by Jet that Sokka had disowned her as his sister, but when she was admitted to the hospital for a nervous breakdown he stayed right there.

Sokka was right.

That girl who did anything and everything that Jet said wasn't his sister. That was just some robot that Jet built up to walk all over. He comes back to the bench with two pairs of blue and white roller skates.

"I had to get you a six 'cause they ran out of the fives."

"Ah man." She half whines, but she takes them anyway.

"No one told you to be born a shrimp slash midget slash-"

"-Okay, I get it. I'm small." She says. "How much fun is it being a special agent?" She asks when the make it into the rink. Sokka shrugs and pulls out a stick of jerky from leather jacket.

"Well, it's pretty boring sometimes. But last week I got assigned a partner, you know cause I'm still fresh meat to the CIA." He sighs. "I did one arrest on a kidnapping. That's about it, they're keeping me from all the good action."

"So you want to be out in the field with the big guys?"

"Exactly! Yes! Finally, someone who understands!"

"You'll get there, you just have to start off small."

"I know, but damn. I'm ready to fight and do things! I knew I should've joined the military. Dad won't even give me a chance at something big."

"Well, dads gonna be dad."

"I know." Sokka looks at her funny. "What's got you so happy today?" She has to laugh, he doesn't even know.

"Guess what." Katara pokes at Sokka's arm with the brightest smile on he face. She's overexcited, but she can't help it. She's practically beaming! She can't even keep still. She skates around him in circles. "Guess what Sokka!"

"You've overdosed on sugar?" He bites into his jerky.

"Not this time." She almost frowns.

"Then what?"

"I was at the theater one day last week after my class, and this man came in. He said that he loved my voice and he set me up with an interview with the headman of the label!"

Sokka slowly nods. "Okay? And what happened after that?"

"I went on the interview, I sang a couple of my songs to the boss and guess what?"

"What?"

"I got signed to Republic Records!" She shouts out and jumps for joy in her skates. Sokka doesn't understand how she can do that in skates though, but he's happy too. "Can you believe it? My dream is finally coming true!"

"That's great!" He grabs her hands and spins her around. "Oh boy, I knew you'd get something." He hugs her tight. "I'm so pound of you! What do you have to do now? When do you go back?"

"Situ Hung says that they'll call me in the morning, but don't forget! I want you to come with me." She moves her hair out of her eyes.

"I wouldn't miss it!" He breathes. "Hey, hey everybody! My sister got signed to Republic Records! She's gonna be famous, she's gonna outsell all those other artists, she's gonna-"

"Sokka stop!" She clamps her hand over his mouth. "I don't want anyone to know yet. You're the only person I've told. I want it to e special when I tell everyone this." She removes her hand and he looks at her funny.

"Oh, okay. You should make it special, how about a get together at your favorite restaurant, my treat."

Katara's eyebrows raise. "Your treat huh?"

"Your paychecks must be pretty big."

"Yeah, I think my bank account can manage a little dent. Besides, my sister was kind enough to break me off some of that money she took from her ex." He laughs. "I would've done the same thing."

"What do you think dad will say?"

"Come on, you know what dads gonna say. Don't worry about that." He pats her back. "I know what mom would say. She'd be proud, she is proud."

Katara smiles. "I know."

**.0.**

"That's your new boyfriend?" Zuko asks as soon as she gets into his car. He frowns at her and drives off from the campus. He's managed to get off from work early and he wants nothing more to go home and get some rest. He volunteered to take Katara to school because she managed to somehow lose her car keys, again. Then she miraculously found them at the bottom of her purse.

"Who?"

"That guy with the ponytail."

She laughs. "Kouga is just a friend, we work together and we go to school together."

"Just a friend huh?" He sounds as if he doesn't believe her. "You know we started out as being just friends."

"I know." She responds. Zuko can feel her watching him as he drives. "You must be jealous."

"I'm not jealous, I'm just saying he was almost drooling." How can she not see that? He had half the mind to-

"He was not!"

"You were so oblivious to the fact."

"You're jealous and it's funny because you're so serious about it!"

"He was all over you."

"You know what?"

"What?" He intwines his fingers through hers. She jumps at first, but then relaxes. Zuko knows that she's still a bit standoffish, but be won't push her. She'll fully open up to him when she's ready.

"I'm going to let you be jealous, I think you being jealous is adorable." She pulls at his cheek. "I never quite took you for the jealous type. Besides, I don't say anything about the women who eye you. They wear those outfits special for you."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really." She states. "I see they go the extra mile some days too, they overdose on the MAC foundation and concealer..."

Now he's lays on his stomach, watching her write in her notebook in the window seat. The curtains are pulled back and he sees that it's raining again. Every once in a while she'll stop her writing and look out the window up at the grey sky, her blue eyes watch the raindrops fall relentlessly. Her long hair flows loose behind her shoulders. She's wearing a burgundy sorority t shirt and loose grey cuffed sweatpants. When he went to sleep she was there, now four hours later she's still writing?

"I took the money because I thought that if I bought material things it could ease some of the pain. It did a little bit, I bought a nice car and a nice house." Her voice is lighter, smoother and Zuko finds it melodic and comforting. "Paid off my school loans and established myself, I mean I gave half to my brother but.." She shrugs. "Yeah, it didn't help much. Jet knew I took it, I mean it was right there on the table but he's lucky that's all I took."

Zuko doesn't say anything. He doesn't want to interrupt her, he'll let her talk from her heart while her minds at peace.

"I was sixteen when I met Jet, met him at a concert. Then, well, I've already told you everything after that. I've finally come to terms that you can't make someone love you, no matter how hard you try. Sometimes you have to let go of things to make room for better things in your life." She smiles softly at him when she looks up. She smiles the smile that makes her eyes twinkle and the dimples in her cheek become craters. She smiles the smile that makes his heart flutter. What I thought was love was only an illusion that was formed from the silly romance novels I've read a million and one times. I thought love was like that movie The Notebook, even Titanic. I was wrong, no love is easy."

"You know," She gets up and closes her notebook, she places it in a drawer in her dresser and sits besides him on the bed. "You know my dad never came to a single show? Not one, not even a talent show but Sokka always came."

"Why didn't he go?"

"I don't know. I guess he doesn't approve or something. It may be because my mom was doing the same thing I was." She shrugs and rubs his back. "How'd you sleep?"

"I could go a few more hours." He says honestly, he pulls her down next to her. She traces the lines of the mark on his chest. His warm hand slides up the back of her shirt and rests there, the heat makes the hairs on her skin stand up. She moves closer to him and he puts her leg around his waist.

"You remember that time when we first..." She starts off. "You know?"

"What about it?"

"You told me that loved me." His hands stops and he looks down at her. His eyes are full of confusion. "When we were done that's what you said."

"I did?"

She sits up, "Yes, you did!"

"I don't remember- oh..." He sits up. She watches him like a hawkbat, he'd better not dare...

"That was, I didn't mean that. It was just in the moment-" he can't finish the sentence because a stream of water that was pulled from a nearby plant comes shooting at him. It knocks him back into the bedroom door.

"You can't just go around telling people stuff like that!" She shouts at him. He moves out of the way and stands just in time as a vase comes flying towards him.

"Katara, calm down." He says in defense as he watches her pull on a pair of jeans and boots. "What? Would you rather me sit here and tell you a lie?"

"Well you could've said anything else besides that!"

"Everything is a mistake with you, you don't mean to do anything!"

"I made a mistake and said that out of the heat of the moment, come on Katara. I said I'm sorry!"

"I don't want to hear sorry!" She shouts back. "I don't really want to hear anything."

She throws a pillow at him but he catches it with ease.

"I'm not saying that I won't ever love you."

"Oh, so you have plans on loving me then?" She lowers the pillow she's about to throw at him. She knows she wants to love again, she doesn't know if Zuko has ever been in love.

"Katara, yes. I would love to love you one day-will you quit pouting?" He asks. "You're twenty four-"

"-Twenty two."

"What?"

"I'm twenty two!" She corrects.

Zuko sighs. "You're twenty two, you're too old to be pouting."

"You could've said anything else in the world, you could've said YipYip..." She suggests.

"YipYip?" He asks dryly. "I'm not even going to- Katara, look..." He goes back to the bed. "I do have plans on being in love with you."

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it." She shrugs.

"What? Then why would you-" Katara throws her arms around his neck and puts her lips over hers.

"Because I can." She jumps off the bed. "Saturday, there's going to be a small get together at the Pizza Parlor for me. I hope my favorite fire bender will be there."

"Of course, What's the big celebration?" Zuko followers her downstairs into the kitchen.

"It's a announcement that I'm making, it's really big news. To answer your question a woman can never have too many shoes. A woman having too many shoes is like a spider having too many legs." She says.

"That doesn't make any sense-"

"-It makes perfect sense. A spider can never have too many legs."

Then she laughs at her own joke. When she laughs, it's a laugh full of humor and happiness. There's nothing fake about it, and Zuko smiles and laughs along with her. They're definitely making progress. This was a good Tuesday.

"Can't you make it snow?" Katara asks the next day in Zuko's office as lounges on the couch. They've just returned from Iroh's tea shop, and to Katara it's the best tea she's ever had. Zuko's uncle Iroh is the greatest man she's ever met. He's just so full of wisdom and understanding.

"I can't control the weather Katara." Zuko replies.

"You took science in school didn't you? Make it happen Boss." She snaps her fingers. Zuko looks back at her with a glint in his golden eyes.

"Boss? I could get used to that." He finishes up his filing. "You took science too didn't you?"

"Oh please," She drawls as she gets up and grabs her bag. "I hate that. The only reason I passed was because I copied off Yue."

"I need to talk to you!" The door bursts open and Mai strolls in with a folder in her hand. she doesn't even acknowledge Katara positioned on the long sofa.

Zuko instantly frowns. "Mai, what-"

"-It's important!" She cuts her eyes and slams her hands down on his desk. Whatever it is, it does seem important. The woman looks like she's about to take with a mental breakdown. Katara stands and adjusts her clothing.

"Well, it does look important." Katara shrugs on her leather jacket and fixes her hair. "I think you should take this, she looks like she's about to have a nervous breakdown." She'll leave Zuko with Mai, if she has a question about what happened between the two she'll just ask him. He can't lie to her no matter how hard he tries.

Mai spins and glares at her.

"What? Where are you going?" Zuko follows her to the door. He doesn't even spare Mai a second look.

"I have an appointment in a little while with my father."

"You have to make an appointment to see your father?" Zuko gives her a look that clearly says it's absurd. "That's crazy."

"Everything in this world is crazy Zuko." She jerks her head to Mai. "You've got a walking fruitcake right there." Then she walks off, mildly laughing at her own joke.

Zuko watches her walk away to elevators before he turns back to Mai in annoyance. He sighs heavily when the woman breaks down crying in front of him.

**.0.**

Katara frowns deeply. She just absolutely hates going to her fathers job. Everything is so fragile looking and made of glass. Just about everyone there is dressed in some type of black suit. Not to mention they're scared of her father so they treat her with the most respect, Sokka gets by with just about anything. He's as easy as a Sunday morning. She doesn't think he's here today, he's probably out on the field somewhere or is in a meeting room participating in some type of briefing.

She doesn't knock or anything before she goes into her fathers office. She never did knock, well, this is her second time going there this year. Hakoda is standing on side of his desk with a book in his hand. He smiles when he looks up and sees a fatherly smile comes to his face.

"Just the woman I wanted to see!" He puts the book down and embraces her. He still wears that cologne she bought him last year for Father's Day. "Hows the institute?" He leads her over to his desk and sits her down.

"I've settled into the flow of things, it's a bit much but it's okay." She shrugs. "It's great there. Where's Sokka?"

"I think he's out on lunch with Hahn right now. What about your scores?" Hakoda settles in behind his desk and leans back in his chair. When she looks at her father she sees an older version of Sokka, they favor so much.

"They're okay, well for now they are." She clutches onto her scarf in her hands. "I came with some news." She knows she was going to wait until Saturday to announce this, but maybe he would be able to understand.

His eyebrows raise. "Oh really? Have they nominated you for an award already?"

"Well, no. It's not that actually. I got a record deal at Republic Records. I'm already working on a song now to release so that I can-"

"-And I'm guessing you're going to stop your schooling to pursue this interest?" Hakoda frowns.

"Of course."

Hakoda stands and goes over to the window. It shows the entire floor of the agency, it's quite a view. Well, to Katara it is. She sighs. Her father obviously doesn't want to hear her news. He turns around on her and eyes her with conflicting eyes.

"I understand the fact that you like to sing and all that Katara, but you have to be realistic. This fictional idea of you have of being a music star," he runs a hand through his wolfstail. "You have to look at it from the right angle, you have to understand that you're calling is being a doctor."

"That's not my calling! It was never my calling!" She jumps to her feet. "It was always you pushing me towards what you wanted me to be!"

She remembers how he would always push her to go into the medical field. Ever since he first discovered that she was a water bender he began paving her future for her, making her study extra hard and take more courses than she needed to in school.

"That's what you're good at. You are a water bender, Katara. You love-"

"No, I don't!" She shouts. The water in the room explodes and splashes everywhere. "I don't like that! I don't!"

Hakoda frowns deeply at her. His jaw clenches and he stares at her intensely. Now he's not her father, he's not the man that raised her. He's the chief, the headman.

"You watch your tone." He says sternly. "Now these little teenage dreams you have-"

"-They aren't teenage dreams! I've been wanting to do this my entire life but you're so enthralled in this CIA shit and Sokka that you can't see that!"

"This position put food on our table and clothed on our backs for twelve years! Sokka is a special agent, I'm going to be proud of him."

"So what? Since I don't want to go and get all those fancy degrees and since I'm not busy diagnosing somebody I'm not good enough? Is that-"

"-That's not what I'm saying!" His voice conquers over hers. "You're living in a fairytale Katara. No one, not even you will get far in the industry! You have potential, use that to your advantage!"

"I am it to my advantage, that's why I took the deal!"

"That isn't your path!"

"It's not your path either!" She shouts back with tears running down her face. "If mom was alive she would've told me to jump right on this, she would've told me to follow my dream!"

"Kya has nothing to do with this!"

"She has everything to do with this!"

"What's going on?" Sokka walks into the room and closes the door behind him. He sees his sisters crying eyes and heavy breathing and instantly frowns. "What's wrong?"

"Your sister accepted a record deal, something that has absolutely no type of future-"

"-It does!" She screams.

"No it doesn't!" Hakoda roars. "It doesn't, Katara!"

"Dad, you can't tell her what to do, this is her dream, you know that." Sokka tries to reason with him but Hakoda isn't having it.

"No, he doesn't know. He doesn't know anything!" Katara snatches her coat and purse out of the chair.

Hakoda takes a step forward. "I'm trying to get you to stop living in this fairytale world! Why can't you see that!?"

"Why can't you let me be happy?" She spits out. The tears fall harder now and she doesn't try to stop them. "Why?!"

"I do want you to be happy!" He yells back. "Just not like-"

"-I think we all need to calm down." Sokka says calmly with his hands raised. "This doesn't-"

"-You're only trying to make yourself happy! I'm going to take this deal and I'm going to get paid for doing what I love to do!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes I am, no one can tell me what to do!" She pushes past Sokka to head to the door.

"God so help me, if you throw your life away for this I'll-"

"-What?" She spins around on him. "You do what? Disown me?"

"What the hell is going on in here?" Hahn bursts through the door and nearly walks into Katara.

"Exactly!" Hakoda says. "That's exactly what'll be done. Disowned and cut off!"

"Whose disowning- What the hell?"

Sokka's eyes widen. "Dad!"

There's silence.

"I'm so lost here!"

"I don't even fucking care anymore!" Katara shouts at the top of her lungs. "You just did me the biggest favor of my life!" The she slams the door open and storms out of the room.

**.0.**

It's half past twelve, Zuko should be sleep now but instead he's up doing a boatload of paperwork for his father. After Mai's breakdown he got pushed way behind schedule. Azula and Ty Lee had to be called in to get her to pull herself together. He hasn't spoken to Katara since she left his office this morning, in the back of his mind he's thinking that something could be wrong but he pushes it to the side. How long has it been? Like two or three months since they've met? A couple of weeks since they've been together? Zuko has to admit that she really has him trapped. But she's still a bit of a mystery to him. The way she talks, walks, thinks...it's all different to him.

When she smiles it's slow and small at first, then her eyes twinkle and the dimples in her cheeks show for the entire world to see. Her voice is melodic, low and thrilling. It's the kind of vice that the ear follows up and down as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again. But it's exciting at the same time. She's like a siren to Zuko, so alluring and fascinating but also so dangerous, with a voice as beautiful as her.

A quick rapping is heard at the door. He doesn't take his time going to answer it, it could be Katara. When he opens the door, it isn't Katara. It's Sokka. He's wearing a black suit with a white button up shirt, a couple buttons are undone and his tie is loosened around his neck. His hair is a bit messed up and there's a scratch on his cheek. He stands there with his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Uh, hey." Sokka clears. "Is...Have you seen Katara?" Zuko firstly wonders exactly how Sokka knows where he lives. But the thought of a missing Katara covers that up.

"Not since this morning when she came by the office. Did something happen?"

"We.., her and dad and then her and me, we had a bit of a fight this morning. It ended pretty badly. She's not at the theater, she's not at her house or with any of her friends. She won't answer from us either. I'm just worried, you know?"

"I understand. If she calls or comes by I'll tell her."

Sokka breathes in shakily. "Thanks."

"No problem." As Sokka walks away Zuko started to retreat back inside.

"Say, Zuko?"

"Yeah?" Zuko looks back out the door.

"Sorry if I uh, came off a bit as a crazed big brother. It's just...she's my little sister, you know?"

"I know. I'd be the same way."

After calling and texting Katara and not getting an answer Zuko lies in his bed wide awake at two in the morning. He's just about to doze off when something pops into his mind from one month ago. He jumps out of bed and hurriedly pulls on some clothing, he knows exactly where she is.

**.0.**

**Sorry I had to cut this so short but the next one will be better.**

**Read and Review**


	12. Chapter 12

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Twelve**

Zuko grunts as he uses the vines to climb on top of the rooftop. He can't believe he's doing this at three in morning, plus he has work in a few hours. He pulls himself up onto the roof and sighs. He's really gotten out of shape.

"How'd you find me Romeo?" A melodious voice asks with slight amusement. He looks up to see Katara looking over at him from her spot on the roof. She's wearing a long sleeved sweater and pants, her hair is in a messy bun at the top of her head. He should've known she was up here on her rooftop, she told him a month ago that that's her favorite spot to go and think. That's why Sokka couldn't find her because she locked her car up in the garage kept all the lights off in the house.

"Well, this is your favorite spot." He goes and sits next to her, he pulls his jacket tighter. "You aren't cold?"

She doesn't take her eyes off the moon. "Oh, I'm just shivering from this forever dropping temperature and this blistering winter breeze."

"Sokka came by looking for you. He's worried." Zuko wraps an arm around her shoulders and she leans into his chest. The sweet smell of her perfume wafts up to his nose. He kisses the top of her head. It's funny, he can't recall ever being this affectionate with Mai.

"But I'm still confused on how he knew where I lived." He adds.

"He works for the CIA. He's a special agent, and I bet he's already ran your entire families background. He has access to that stuff now."

"A special agent?" Zuko thinks that's great, it's better than what he's doing for a living. "So what does your father do exactly?"

"He's the director of the CIA." She frowns and leans up off of him. "I told him about how I got that record deal from Republic Records-"

"-You got a deal? That's great Katara, when were you going to tell me?" When she

"It was supposed to be Saturday, Sokka was going to get all our friends and family together and I was gonna announce it everyone. I wanted to surprise my dad with it but I couldn't wait, I wanted to tell him this amazing news but it didn't turn out too good. He thinks that it's a teenage dream and I should continue on the path of being a doctor, that's what he wants me to do."

"I know exactly how you're feeling."

"Oh do you?" She scoffs and stretches her legs out in front of her.

"No, it may be hard for you to believe but I never wanted to work for Agni Corps." He confesses something that he's never told anyone, not even his uncle Iroh. Lu Ten doesn't even know this and that's his best friend. Zuko has never thought about telling his father that, the man rules em everything with an iron fist. Ozai would probably try and tear him limb from limb. Since he's his fathers first born child his future was already written out for him probably even before he was conceived.

"Then...what do you want to be?"

"That's the thing, I don't know." He shrugs. "I just know that I don't want to be sitting behind a desk and doing paperwork and being in boring meetings for the rest of my life. Azula is lucky because she was able to convince our father that she's best suited for law."

"Yeah, I see. I'm done trying to please him, he has to understand that this is my life. This is something I want to do." She says quietly.

"You're right." Zuko totally agrees. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try and fix things with him."

"And Sokka, we kind of had some words too. But I don't want to talk to my father or brother right now."

"Speaking of Sokka, I'm guessing you're the reason why he came looking kind of roughed up."

A slight blush creeps to her cheeks. "One thing led to another. That's how we agree and disagree on things...kinda." She stands and extends her hand to help him up. He takes it, her hand is cold but soft. They use a ladder, that Zuko never knew was there, to get back down.

"Are you leaving?" She asks once they're inside the house. She goes and cuts on the living room lights, everything is still clean and organized.

"Yeah, I gotta get some sleep in before work in the morning." He get aggravated just thinking about it. He wishes he didn't have to go in, he wishes he could just sleep and lounge around his condo all day.

"Stay." She wraps her arms around him and lays her head on his chest. Without even a second thought, Zuko stays for her.

**.0.**

Zuko taps his fingers impatiently on the dining room table and cuts his eyes at any and everything that's in his path. He's been here for almost twenty minutes now, Across from him Mai -much to his dismay- is sitting directly across from him. She keeps her cold eyes on him and she watches his every move. Besides her to her right sits a completely oblivious Ty Lee -Azula's childhood friend - currently playing a game on her phone, she laughs loudly, bright eyes shining like a million stars in a black night sky. Though she isn't the sneaky type as her two friends. Azula sits to Mai's left, directly in front of Katara.

His sister hasn't said anything out of the way, as a matter of fact she hasn't said anything at all! She sits there with her hands folded in her lap with an unreadable expression on her face that's accompanied by a slight smirk. She enjoys drama. Zuko resists the urge to scoff and roll his eyes at her, he knows her too well. She's probably brainstorming right now, just waiting to execute her devious plan. The trio were at the table before he and Katara were, well, everyone was.

At the head of the table sits his father. He looks stern faced and a bit grim. He occasionally glances at his guests before returning his eyes to the heavy, large white plate that has been set in front of him. At the other end of the table sits Ursa, she has the brightest smile on her face! She twirls her diamond and pearl necklace that's around her neck and hums a light tune. Zuko stares at his mother in mild exasperation.

Lu Ten is at his mothers right and is on Katara's left. He sits diligently in his chair with his elbows on the table and hands clasped in front of his mouth. His eyebrows are raised and he taps his foot, occasionally sighing. Much to Ursa's objection, he took the seat beside her. She was saving that seat for her future daughter in law.

"First come first serve!" Lu Ten had said back nonchalantly.

Then, there sits Katara at Lu Tens right. Her perfume fills Zuko's nostrils, it's a very light scent of warm cherries or something like that. He doesn't know, he isn't too good at describing lovely smells. She has her arms crossed over her chest and one leg crossed over another. Her long hair is down and she's wearing a smashing one shouldered navy blue dress that flows out at the waist. His left hand rests on her thigh and every so often she'd move it higher. She makes Zuko's thoughts bundle up every time he looks over at her. Theirs a mysterious smile on her face, Zuko doesn't know why. His mothers barely able to control her excitement, he wonders if she's been taking her pills lately. Besides Zuko on his right, to make matters a bit worse his uncle Iroh and rocking left to right humming as well. Zuko sighs, why are they so damned happy? No ones saying anything, it's completely silent but you could cut the tension with a knife.

Ursa is the first to finally speak up. "I love to see you at my table Katara, you're like a rose, an absolute beautiful rose!" Ursa half exclaims with twinkling eyes. Besides him Katara unfolds her legs and places her hands in her lap. Mai stares intently and Azula's coy smile grows.

"Oh, thank you Mrs. Agni. I-" Ursa holds up a hand to stop her sentence. Then she puts it back in her lap with a face full of mirth.

"No, you can call me Ursa. You're family now! Isn't she darling?" She lifts her eyes to Ozai. He stares at her dryly without blinking.

"What is taking so long with the food?" Lu Ten drawls. "If I would've known they had to chase the chickens and pluck their feathers off I would've ate at fat burger before I came."

"They haven't signed an official document stating that they are legally man and wife..." He frowns and turns to Zuko, whose slapped his hand against his forehead in utter embarrassment. "Zuko do you have plans on marrying her?"

Iroh turns to nephew, also awaiting an answer. Ursa means forward and Azula's golden eyes gleam as she drinks from her wine.

"What?" Zuko removes his hand. "Why are you guys thinking ahead so much? That hasn't even-"

"-Do you have plans on becoming impregnated with my sons child?" Ozai presses in that dictator like voice, a voice that still makes Zuko sit still and pay close attention. The only person whose able to do that is Ozai.

"We haven't thought about that, but maybe one day probably. But not anytime soon, but one day." Katara speaks up while getting an air of confidence from a quietly seething Mai.

"Grandchildren!" Ursa claps her hands together in complete glee. "Do you hear that Azula? You're going to be an aunt!"

"Azula and children?" Iroh chuckles. "How I'll love to see that day!"

"Yeah, a miniature Azula. Don't think the worlds too ready for that." Lu Ten laughs.

"Aunt Azula..." She tests the name out as she sits her class back down on the expensive table. "I may be able to get used to that. I shall teach them every thing I know, and soon they will be able to dominate the entire world!" The flames on the candles in the middle of the table reach as high as the ceiling.

Ursa purses her lips at Ozai, she's obviously used to her daughters... Expressive behavior. "Do you see what you've created?"

The right side of Ozai's lip curves up. "A genius!"

Always like Ozai to speak so highly of Azula. Katara must catch on to how he's feeling. Under the table she entwines her fingers with his and squeezes his hand. She turns and smiles at him, a real smile. It makes it better.

"Yes!" Ty Lee jumps in her seat and claps her hands. "I passed the level, finally!"

"I believe that it's unwise for a man to lay his seed in a woman before marriage." Mai raises her eyebrows and drinks her wine. Zuko wishes that Azula hadn't invited Mai over, he really wishes she hadn't. Having your bitter knife throwing ex girlfriend at the same table with your new model like mater water bending girlfriend are the perfect ingredients for a major catastrophe. Add in a overbearing Ursa, a pot stirring Lu ten, a conniving Azula and a temperamental Katara into the mix and you've got the end of the world brewed up

"Oh, phooey!" Ursa waves her off. "I was pregnant for my husband before we even got married. I think I was five months before he even noticed. I had an amazing pregnancy, my breasts didn't even swell or anything. Not to mention I was flat as a pancake! The doctors said that my uterus-"

"-Mother!" Zuko groans. Azula fake barfs and Lu Ten badgers Katara for gum or candy.

"Hey Katara, do you have any brothers or sisters?" Ty Lee asks. "Any single brothers?" Mai cuts her eyes at the acrobat but says nothing.

"I have one older brother, his names Sokka." Katara says softly. "He's engaged so...he's going to be married soon."

Ty Lee almost looks saddened.

"And what does he do exactly?" Zuko knows that tone that his fathers using. It's his inquisition time. He did the same thing with Mai.

"He's a special agent."

"A special agent? Like for the CIA?" Azula raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, and my fathers the director of the agency."

"So, you come from a military family?" Ozai continues.

"Military and healthcare professionals." Katara nods.

Ozai looks at her appraisingly. "I see."

This triggers one of Uncle Iroh's old war stories that lasts for God knows how long. Luckily the food is bought in by the maids a few minutes later, Lu Ten hurriedly digs into his food. As his mothers cooked and reheated food is proportioned onto their plates Zuko notices how Mai's gaze switches from him to Katara. Zuko thinks that Katara will ignore Mai the entire night, he thinks that she won't let her snide remarks and glares bother her. But, Katara being Katara, she kills Mai with kindness.

"That's a lovely top you're wearing Mai, it brings out your eyes." Katara smiles, flashing all the teeth in her mouth. everyone pauses. Even the maids who her refilling their drinks and placing dishes on the tables stop. Maids, they know all the gossip. Ursa looks from Mai to Katara.

"Thank you, im wearing Ferragamo. He's the best designer on this planet. But that's a very smashing dress. Is it target?"

Zuko sighs while Azula nearly humorously chokes on a tomato chunk. Mai has just insinuated that Katara shop from the local target. Zuko has known Katara long enough to know that she's very and defensive sensitive when it comes down to her clothing.

"No, actually it's only MK." Katara responds with with a breath of air. "Though it's not always the brand that the woman is wearing, it's the woman whose wearing the brand. For example I Mai, _I can be wearing a dress made from brown paper bags by a hobo on the street and still be more fabulous than a queen in a million dollar ball gown."_

That seemed to put Mai in her place for the rest of the night.

Then, Katara _dramatically_ flips her long hair and turns ever so gracefully to his father. "Mr. Agni, you really have an amazing son. You've raised him so well."

"Thank you Miss Khalan." Ozai glances at Zuko. "My son is my future. Pretty soon he'll be taking my spot in the company. So far I'm proud of him."

Katara beams at Zuko as Zuko as he blanches. His father is proud of him? Really? He wants to hand over the company too? But why?

"I hope you like the sea prunes dear, I tried my best to make them." Ursa says sweetly as she cuts into her steak.

"They are absolutely _divine_." Katara responds after she tastes a bite, then another. Ursa looks satisfied. "Honestly, you didn't have to go through this much trouble for me, I'm too flattered!"

"Nonsense, it was nothing." She grins. "Azula, how's the training coming along?"

"What a bore, the public defenders, other attorneys and DA are all pigs one step from the slaughter house." She rolls her eyes. "Maybe I should give them a little push..."

"My daughter is going to keep good scores in school, she'll pass the bar exam with flying colors." Ozai proclaims.

"I feel bad for whoever the first person is shes going to go up against." Iroh states.

"Have you ever been to prison Katara?" Mai asks out of nowhere. Ozai leans back in his chair and also awaits for an answer. Zuko has an urge to kick her under the table for that question. He knows what she's trying to do, she's trying to make Katara look bad.

"Of course I haven't. Have you been?"

"I haven't either. I'm too much of a role model."

Zuko nearly chokes on a middle. Since when is she a role model?

"I bet you are." Katara says with raised eyebrows.

"Okay, that's enough of all the prison talk." Ursa hits her fork on her champagne glass. "Now, did you know that when Zuko was small he liked to dress up as a cowboy?"

"Mother!" Zuko says mortified. "This isn't the time for this!"

"I never knew you liked cowboys, how cute." Katara says as she pats his head like a little child.

"Oh, did he! He didn't even want to the costume off!" Lu Ten says after he swallows down his food.

"He would go everywhere with his little hat and boots on!" Ursa gushes. "And it was so cute!"

Iroh chuckles. "He wouldn't even respond to his name, you had to put 'cowboy' in front of it."

"A very depressing stage it was." Ozai says grimly.

"Wasn't it father?" Azula smirks.

Ursa smiles, showing all her pearly whites. "Do you remember Ozai? He used to run around the house with nothing on but his cowboy hat, I think he was ten at the time."

"How can I forget?"

"Will you all stop? This is a dinner table for Christ's sake!" Zuko says in annoyance.

His family does too much. Though he can't help but release a laugh or two. It's embarrassing, but it's funny at the same time. The dishes are picked up off he table and they wait for the deserts to be bought in. After strawberry shortcake, cobbler, cheesecake, and more stories involving Zuko. He takes her up to his old bedroom that still has everything in it just the way he left it. The walls are a dark red color with golden molding. The windows stretch from the ceiling on down the polished hardwood floor.

"So," Katara picks up a trophy. "You played football and track?"

"I played in both high school and college, but I've only gotten first place in track one time." He coughs into his fist.

"I only played volleyball." She says. She sits the trophy back on the shelf and goes over to the large four post bed. He sits down beside her.

"We're you any good?" He has to ask. She doesn't look like the sporty type at all.

"Not at first, I was on the bench most of the time." She shrugs. "I had to get used to it. Zuko,You really do have a great family."

"You can have them."

She laughs. "No, you'll miss them sooner or later. Most people don't know what they have until it's gone. Then, they'll never ever be able to get it back." Zuko sees the saddening in her eyes and softly grabs hold of her hand. She smiles up at him.

"I'm glad I met you." She says, she places her other hand on top of his, and Zuko feels a spark in his chest.

**.0.**

"What's this all about?" Katara frowns at Jet as he stands on her front porch with his hands shoved into his pockets. He's looking at he from under those lashes, there was once a time when Katara would've melted at that look. It's nine at night, and she was just about to go to bed early. She has a recording session in the morning. She's going to be recording her five songs total.

"Can I come in? I swear I won't try anything, I promise." He holds his hands up. "Just give me a couple of minutes, that's all I want."

"Minutes for what? Why should I talk to you? You embarrassed me in front of Zuko and his entire family! I have nothing to say to you!"

He comes into her home anyway. He's dressed in all black, everything's black except for his jeans. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" She frowns.

"Yes, I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything! That's what I came to say. I'm sorry for cheating on you, for causing you to miscarry, the drinking and the fighting. I'm sorry for everything Katara."

She doesn't say anything, she doesn't say anything because she can't say anything. She leans back against the closed door and cradles her head in her hands. He's telling the truth, his heartbeat says it all. He isn't lying, his apology is sincere.

She moves out of the foyer and into the living room. Jet follows behind her.

"You think sorry is going to erase everything?" She shouts. "Nothing can erase what you did to me! Nothing!" She'll let it all out because that's what she needs to do. She'll no longer hold in her emotions from anyone.

Jet doesn't say anything, he just stands there looking like he's lost his entire family. He has but she's just saying that's what he looks like now.

His lifts his head up and stares at her. "I messed up a lot Katara, I broke some hearts and severed a lot of friendships. I know you probably won't be able to forgive me anytime soon. But, I feel bad about everything. I hope one day you can find it in you to forgive me, but because not because I deserve it but because you deserve peace. We both need peace."

She covers her ears and turns away from him. It's a childishly tactic that she picked up from Sokka. "Shut up Jet, just shut up!" She doesn't want to hear this, if she hears this she'll just fall back into her feelings. She's let Jet go, he's in the past. She has Zuko now, Zuko will never hurt her.

"Which is why I'm leaving, I'm going to go start over in Ba Sing Se and I'm letting this band thing go for a while." He shrugs into his jacket. "Katara stop crying."

"Stop crying? What do you expect?" She spins away from him, he follows her into the kitchen.

"The love-"

"-Love?" She looks at him like he's grown three extra heads. "Love isn't even in your vocabulary Jet. I loved you but you didn't love me, you hurt me and you humiliated me."

Jet's jaw clenches and and he nods his head but he doesn't say anything.

"And you know what else?" She approaches him with her hands on her hips and and states up at him.

"What?"

"We can never ever be together again. I know you hurt me, made me feel like shit and embarrassed me in front of my friends and family but I still love you, I won't ever stop loving you."

"Well that's great to know." A new voice fills the room. Katara and Jet both turn to see Zuko standing in the open doorway. He's in his business suit and his tie is loosened. Her bear speeds up as she realizes what she's just said. So many emotions flash through Zuko's eyes; betrayal, sadness and anger. He's mad, he's really mad. So mad that there's a dark smoke actually spilling from his flaring nostrils.

"Zuko…" she takes a step towards him but he shakes his head.

"I don't wanna hear it Katara. I do admit I should've seen this coming from a _female like you_." His jaw tightens and his fists ball at his sides. He turns and storms out the house.

She goes behind him but it's too late. He's already in his car and is speeding around the corner.

**.0.**

**Read and Review**


	13. Chapter 13

**Story Title:** I Won't Give Up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**A:N: FOR ALL OF YOU WHO ARE WAITING FOR ME TO UPDATE CAGED BIRDS, IT WON'T LET ME. IVE TRIED TO UPDATE CHAPTER EIGHT NUMEROUS TIMES BUT I NEVER GET THE EMAIL SAYING THAT IT WAS UPDATED. I DON'T KNOW WHATS GOING ON, IT JUST WON'T LET ME UPDATE IT. SOMEONE HELP!**

**Thirteen**

_I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time_

_Know there was something that, meant something that I left behind_

_When I leave this world, I'll leave no regrets_

_Leave something to remember, so they won't forget_

_I was here_

_I lived, I loved_

_I was here_

_I did, I've done everything that I wanted_

_And it was more than I thought it would be_

_I will leave my mark so everyone will know_

_I was here_

_I want to say I lived each day, until I died_

_And know that I meant something in, somebody's life_

_The hearts I have touched, will be the proof that I leave_

_That I made a difference, and this world will see_

_I was here_

_I lived, I loved_

_I was here_

_I did, I've done everything that I wanted_

_And it was more than I thought it would be_

_I will leave my mark so everyone will know_

_I was here_

_I lived, I loved_

_I was here_

_I did, I've done everything that I wanted_

_And it was more than I thought it would be_

_I will leave my mark so everyone will know_

_I was here_

_I just want them to know_

_That I gave my all, did my best_

_Brought someone some happiness_

_Left this world a little better just because_

_I was here_

_I was here_

_I lived, I loved_

_I was here_

_I did, I've done everything that I wanted_

_And it was more than I thought it would be_

_I wanna leave my mark so everyone will know_

_I was here_

_I lived (I lived), I loved_

_I was here_

_I did (I did), I've done_

_I was here_

_I lived (I lived), I loved (I loved)_

_I was here (oh)_

_I did, I've done_

_I was here_

Situ Hung cuts off the mic and gestures her to come from out of the recording booth. Peon, the man who does the music beats and everything leaves out of the room. Katara takes a seat on the L Shaped black leather couch and checks her phone. Zuko still hasn't responded to her calls or text messages. She sighs and sticks the iPhone back in her pocket. She's really, really, really messed up this time. How could she say that? How could she do that?

"So, I'm just sitting here trying to find out what the problem is Katara." Situ frowns across from her. He's leaning on the studio controls with his hands clasped in front of him. Today he's wearing an all black suit, his sunglasses are gone and his hair is semi wild.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, I don't know what that shit is that you were doing in there. You were off key and I didn't hear any emotion in it. What's the problem? Did you not get laid last night or something?" He half chuckles but he's still frowning. He's so serious.

Katara leans back and doesn't say anything.

"I'm not feeling it right now." She shrugs. "I'm not in the mood to do this, my head isn't in the game as of this moment."

"What happened?" Situ presses. "Whatever it is you should use it. Use it to pull that emotion out of you Katara. Now tell me what it is."

"Last night my..." She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. Situ watches her carefully. "My ex came over and then my current boyfriend came and he heard me tell my ex that I still love him and I probably always will love him."

"Well that's the fuck up of the year."

She frowns. "Thanks for making me feel better."

"Anytime. Now, do you really want to be stuck here until past midnight? Katara we have to get these tracks laid down. This is your first album we're talking about here. Did you two break up?"

"No, not that i know of."

"Just had a fight right?"

"Yes."

"So how does that make you feel?"

"Sad, angry, confused..." She trails off. "He won't talk to me or anything."

"I want you to use that. Use those emotions, push them out through your music. Alright? Come on, you're a beautiful girl. He won't stay gone for long." Situ gently takes her hand and pulls her back into the booth. She pulls her headphones back on her ear as he leaves out. Once he's behind the glass he gives her a thumbs up. The instrumental begins to play again and she takes a deep breath. Peon comes back in and switches some things on, Situ stares at her and waits for her to begin.

_I feel weak, we've been here before_

_'Cause I feel we keep going back and forth_

_Maybe it's over, maybe we're through_

_But I honestly can say I still love you_

_Maybe we reached the mountain peak_

_And there's no more left to climb_

_And maybe we lost the magic piece_

_And we're both too blind to find_

_Let's start over_

_Let's give love their wings_

_Let's start over_

_Stop fighting about the same old thing_

_Let's start over_

_We can't let our good love die_

_Maybe we can start all over_

_Give love another life_

_I can see that we're not happy here_

_So why would we keep pretending when there's nothing there_

_Maybe you like it, well I don't_

_Maybe you'll settle, well I won't_

_Maybe we reached the mountain peak_

_And there's no more left to climb_

_And maybe we lost the magic piece_

_And we're both too blind to find_

_Let's start over_

_Let's give love their wings_

_Let's start over_

_Stop fighting about the same old thing_

_Let's start over_

_We can't let our good love die_

_Maybe we can start all over_

_Give love another life_

_I know that this will hurt you_

_I know you'll cry_

_I know I called you selfish but that's a lie_

_I feel I know what's the best for us_

_Let's... start over!_

_And let's give love their wings_

_Let's start over_

_I'm tired of fighting about the same old thing_

_Let's start over_

_We both know that this love won't die_

_Maybe we can start all over_

_And give love another try_

The music stops and she removes her headphones. Situ smiles and gives her two thumbs up. Then they proceed to the next four. She has a rehearsal thursday and Situ has managed to book at as an opening performance for some opera singer Friday. She's excited and nervous but she's still sad that she hasn't spoken to Zuko yet. The next evening she decides to go to the cafe for a hot chocolate. She pulls out her phone as she walks along the sidewalk. She still doesn't have any notifications from him.

How could she be so stupid? She mentally kicks herself.

She lifts her head up just in time to see none other than Zuko turn the corner. He almost bumps into her. He's wearing a black suit with a red scarf and another long jacket to match the suit. He's just as surprised to see her as she is to see him.

"Zuko, I've been trying to get in touch with you." She breathes. He looks at her a little strangely before he stuffs his arms into his pockets.

"Yeah, I've been kind of busy lately. The board has been pressing on me." His voice is dry and raspy. She takes him in, she hasn't gone this long without seeing him before. She wants to run to him and wrap him up in her arms but judging from the aura he's emitting...

"About that night when you came, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that like that."

He looks down at her, his eyes are hooded by his thick lashes. "It seemed like you meant it to me. To top it all off you were crying Katara." His voice is low now, it makes him sound like he was betrayed.

But wasn't he?

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that."

"So do you still love him? Will you always love him?" He asks. His eyes have turned serious and cold. She's never seen this Zuko before.

"Zuko..." She sighs and closes her eyes. He frowns.

"How would you like it if I told Mai that I still love her? What if she came to my house and you caught me telling her the same thing you told Jet?" Zuko retorts. He has a point.

"You have good reasons to be upset with me. You're right, I wouldn't like it at all. I'm sorry, that's about all I can tell you right now Zuko."

"I see that." He frowns. What more does he want her to say? "So I guess that's it then..."

"I have a rehearsal at the industry Thursday and a performance at the opera hall Friday. I want you to come. I'll come by you tonight." She steps closer. He's fighting a battle within himself. She can tell he doesn't know what to tell her. There's so much conflict in his eyes, conflict that Katara doesn't wish was there.

He only nods briefly. "I have to get back to work now Katara." He lingers a moment, then he tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. His hands are so warm despite the cold, it's right at thirty degrees right now, she leans into his touch. Katara stands almost slumped, and watches him get lost in the crowd with the other pedestrians. She doesn't know what to think now. Situ Hung calls her just as she's entering the cafe. She immediately answers.

"Where are you?" He asks quickly. From the noises in the background Katara thinks that he's somewhere on a busy strip.

"I'm at a cafe."

"What cafe?"

"On Carroway. It's the only cafe in the business district." She rolls her eyes and moves up to the counter to give the barista her order.

"What did you get?" What's with him and all these questions?

"A Cinnabon with hot chocolate-"

"-Seriously Katara?"

"Yes, I am hungry so I'm going to eat. Is it a crime?"

"Having meal moments isn't a crime, drinking hot chocolate isn't either but it's the fact you're eating huge globs of sugar." He sounds so disgusted through the phone. Situ has officially become her manager. He's already assigned her a personal trainer and a dietician, and he insists that he knows where she is at all times. He's more than a manager almost, he's like a male mother.

"Just make sure you're at vocals tomorrow at three, alright?"

"I'll be there."

He hangs up without saying goodbye and Katara sticks her phone back into her back pocket. She takes her hot chocolate and Cinnabon to go. When she turns, she bumps dead into Aang.

Aang.

How could she have forgotten about him? He's not looking too surprised to see here though. In fact he looks pretty nervous in his white T shirt and ripped jeans. The last time she saw him they fought and he stormed off.

"Aang, where have you been?" She asks. Her voice is full of concern and wonder.

"I've just been around thinking. Can we talk for a minute?" She nods and he leads her over to an empty booth.

"You've been thinking for two weeks?" She frowns.

"Pretty much yeah, it's a lot of things that I still have to sort out. I was at the Southern Air Temple just training and meditating and things like that." His voice is less hopeful than she remembers. "I'm sorry about what happened that night at your place."

"It's alright. Really, it's okay." She reaches across the table to hold his hand but he quickly moves it out of her reach.

"No it's not." He shakes his head. "It's just that... When I found out that you had somebody else I got mad. You wouldn't acknowledge me in that romantic way like you did Jet and Zuko."

"I'm sorry Aang." She swirls her cup around on the table and stares down at it.

"I loved you, I still love you Katara."

"I know."

"I've come to the conclusion that if you really love something you have to let it go so that it can be happy." His voice is soft and his eyes are a little glazed over.

"Aang, you're my best friend and I love you. I just can't love you the way you want to me to love you. I'm not going to lead you on only to end up hurting you in the end." She says softly. If she fills him with false hope and empty lies she wouldn't be a good friend, she'll

"I understand that. I think that our friendship is better than having nothing at all." He manages a smile.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asks. "Something else is bothering you, I can tell."

"It's just that... When I went to the Air Temple, I thought that it would be a good place for me to go to meditate and just clear my mind. I was only supposed to stay a couple of days but I ended up enjoying it way more than I should have."

"So what does that mean?"

"I think that I want to move to the Southern Air Temple for a while."

"Are you sure?" She frowns at him. "It's so far away and desolate."

"Right now that's exactly what need."

"I see. When do you plan on leaving?"

He shrugs his shoulders and lean back in the booth. "After I tie up some loose ends and everything else. I'm still going to graduate first though."

"That's good." She smiles. "How many more months?"

"Two. But Sokka told me about you and Republic Records."

"When was this?" She fading spoken to Sokka since that day at the agency, the fight that they had was terrible. She never thought that it would get that bad between them. Things really got physical. She doesn't like fighting with her brother.

"A few days ago before I got back." He smiles. "Congratulations! How long before you start going on tours and stuff?"

"I have a vocal session tomorrow and I'm opening up for some famous opera singer Friday, plus a rehearsal Thursday. It's starting to pack my schedule a little now but I don't mind it. This is what I want."

Aang's smile mirrors hers and she drinks from her hot chocolate. "As long as you're happy I'm happy, I won't miss a single show."

"Thanks Aang."

He smiles back at her but Katara can see the

sadness behind it.

.0.

After her bending practice Katara goes straight to Zuko's house. It's eleven at night but he did say that she could use the spare key that he keeps under the doormat. When she's inside it's completely dark and she nearly trips over a table. Well, not trip. She walked into it and almost fell. She figures that he must've had a bad and tiring day at work because he doesn't usually go to sleep this early. She makes it into his bedroom and closes the door behind her. Zuko's in the middle of the bed fast asleep with the sheets pulled around his waist.

She takes off her clothing and slides into bed next to him. He's now on his side with his back to her clutching the sheets. She lifts his arm and places it around her waist, satisfied when he squeezes her and pulls her closer. Katara runs her hand down the smooth skin of his back.

"Zuko." He doesn't respond. She leans down and kisses his ear before she grates her teeth and tongue over his neck.

"Zuko." She runs her fingers through his loose hair. He still doesn't answer. He stirs in his sleep but he doesn't open his eyes. His arm around her waist tightens and he pulls her on top of him. She straddles him and lays her head In between his shoulder and neck.

"It's late Katara." He says sleepily into her hair. She closes her eyes and relaxes to the comfortable beat of his heart. She sighs and nuzzles her face in his neck. She's missed sleeping with him and feeling all warm and safe.

"I missed you." She leans up a little and turns his head to her.

She can barely see him because the room is so dark. Her hand moves down and lightly grasps his chin to pull his lips to her own. She forces her tongue into his mouth and moans when he presses her harder on him. The way he kisses her, it's like he doesn't want to but he can't resist. When her hands slip into the front of his pants he pulls away. She pulls him back only for him to pull away again.

She looks at him in confusion. He moves her off if him and flicks on the bedroom light.

"Why'd you stop?" She asks. He sits on the bed with his back to her and she moves to his side.

"This won't work." He says to the carpeted floor.

"What won't work?"

"Us."

Her heart skips and she frowns. Did she just hear correctly? "You're breaking up with me?"

"No... I don't know! But what I do know is you still love Jet, you never will stop loving him." He looks at her, his eyes are dark and glazed over. "You said it yourself."

"I don't love him! You're the main person who said I needed closure!"

"That's not what you said."

"I told you I didn't mean-"

"-You didn't mean for it to come out like that or you didn't mean for me to hear it? You're still in love with someone else. We can't be together Katara, we just can't." He shakes his head.

"Why are you doing this?" She frowns at his words even though he has more reasons to be upset at her. "This is stupid."

"It's not." He says in monotone. He's not angry in the way that he would be shouting and exhaling smoke, he's the quiet and calm type of mad, the worst type.

"You think I want Jet."

"I know you do, you may as well be with him. You do love him." He grunts.

"Quit being like this, you know I don't want him. I only want you."

"That's the thing Katara you only want me, you love him." He explains as he runs a hand through his hair.

"It fades more and more everyday Zuko. What you heard that night, it had to be said. Me and him are never ever getting back together. I won't hold onto something from the past but I'm sorry about that."

She moves into his lap facing him and holds his face in her hands. He stares at her long and hard in thought. She wishes that she could read his mind.

"I don't want you around him, I don't even want you talking to him." Zuko states sternly. She only nods. She's never seen him like this before, so domineering and demanding. There's a fiery tenseness in his eyes that tell her he isn't playing around. His hands squeeze her thighs.

"Whatever feeling that you had for him or anyone else before me I want it gone." He demands. "Do you understand me?"

She blinks. "Yes. You don't have to worry about that anyway."

"I'd hope not. I don't like to share Katara." His hands squeeze and massage her thighs

"I don't either." She presses closer against his hard body. He bites at her collarbone and neck with force. It hurts but at the same time it feels amazing. He lays her down and holds himself up by his strong arms as he looks over body. She's only wearing her black under garments.

"I'm serious Katara." Zuko looks at her, it's like he's examining her very soul. It makes her squirm under him. His fingertips trail around her belly button before going lower. His touch is like fire, burning her skin with it's tease. He pulls down her bottoms tantalizingly slow. "I remember saying that you're mine. Aren't you?"

"Yes." She nods and wraps her arms tightly around his neck to bring his lips down to hers. Then she's lost, her mind turns hazy and she can't focus on anything but him. A hand slides under her back and pushes her body up to his and stays on the small of her back while he showers her with searing, loving, passionate kisses. If Zuko knew how he made her feel then he wouldn't ever think that she wanted someone else.

She doesn't know why she's waking up out her sleep at four am. Zuko still has her locked in his arms, she's pries herself out of his grip without trying wake him and creeks to the bathroom. It's dark, she doesn't bother turning on the light because she knows her way around the room ready. As she's adjusting her wild hair in the mirror something shiny catches her eye on the black marble floor. She turns and goes over to inspect and picks it up. It's a red satin bathrobe along with a pair of golden studded earrings and a tennis bracelet.

She frowns as she examines the items. The bathrobe is far too small for her, and she doesn't even wear bathrobes anyway. The golden tennis bracelet has a band with an inscription on it. She peers closer to see what it says, only to widen her eyes in shock and confusion.

_Mai x Zuko Agni_

**.0.**

**Sorry this chapter is so short, I'm not really satisfied with it. It's only 3,500 characters too -_-**

**I'll make up for it next week.**

**Read and review**


	14. Chapter 14

**Story Title:** I Won't Give up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full Summary:After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Fourteen**

Katara wipes the sweat from her forehead before she tosses the towel into the bin. Today she had vocals and an hour workout session. She didn't know that she was out of shape, she's really been slacking off. She stands and stretches as she makes it back to the locker room. She uses the key and unlocks her locker. She pulls out her duffle bag and sits it on the bench. Since she knew she wouldn't feel like driving all the way home to take a shower and change her clothes, she bought her clothes with her.

Standing, she turns her phone back on and a series of notifications pop up on the screen. She has five text messages, two missed calls and one email. Sokka has called her twice. She opens up her text massages. She has one from Sokka, two from Yue, and two from Zuko.

**From**: Sokka

_We need talk ASAP_

**To:** Sokka

About what

**From**: Sokka

_I'll tell you tonight._

She rolls her eyes.

**From: **Yue

_Mall day tomorrow 10 am._

_The maid of honor MUST come._

**To:** Yue

Yes your highness

Katara rolls her eyes. Yue is going to turn into a major bridezilla soon. She's already racking her brain cells out and the wedding isn't until December thirty first.

**From:** Zuko

_Where are you?_

_Come to my office_

She ignores his messages. She's still suspicious about the robe and tennis bracelet that she found in his bathroom. Then to spread the icing on the cake, the items belonged to Mai. She left as soon as she found them there, he was asleep so he couldn't stop her. As of right now she doesn't want to talk to him. She wants to get herself together first.

Situ has emailed her, she doesn't know why he did that when he could've just texted or called her.

**From:** Situ a Hung

**To**: Katara Khalan

**Subject:** party

**Time**: 5:00 Pm

_There's a surprise birthday party for the CEO and producer of Republic Records tonight at club Rune. It starts at seven, I'll come and get you._

**Situ Hung**

The CEO and the producer? That'll be a great chance for her to actually mingle with the big people and But she has to work tonight and then she still has to go with Yue tomorrow. She hurriedly messages him back.

**To:** Situ Hung

**From**: Katara Khalan

**Subject:** party

**Time:** 5:36 Pm

_I can't make it tonight. I have to be at work for eight._

He emails her back immediately. She figures he must have too much extra time on his hands.

**To:** Katara Khalan

**From:** Situ Hung

**Subject**: party

**Time:** 5:38 Pm

_I've already spoken to your boss, he's agreed to give you the night off. Don't take all night getting ready either._

**Situ Hung**

She raises her eyebrows and throws her phone back into her bag. She showers quickly and changes into a navy blue boyfriend sweater and skinny jeans with tan knee high boots. She pulls her hair back into a high ponytail and grabs her things. She adjusts her wild ponytail as she walks through the lobby to get to the exit. As shes slipping her sunglasses onto her face she bumps into someone.

"Look who it is." Kouga grins widely at her. He's wearing a black tank top and grey gym shorts with some newish looking running shoes. Does he not feel the cold outside? "Never thought I'd ever run into you here."

"Yeah, I just started." She adjusts her bag on her shoulder. "It was my first day." Kouga's eyebrows heighten as he nods.

"So you're trying to gain muscle?"

"Uh... No, just trying to get back in shape and lose a bit of weight is all."

"Really? If anything you should gain a couple pounds." He teases. "But I gotta run, I'll text you?"

"Sure, bye Kouga." He gives her a small wave. Zuko calls her when she's in the car, she ignores it. She decides to go and see him anyway. She still has that robe and tennis bracelet that she took. Mai had to be at his house and she must've left it either by mistake or on purpose. Either way she was still there in his house, in his bedroom. Now her mind is racing faster than she keep up with.

What if he's still sleeping with her? What if he still loves her? She doesn't like this not one bit. She hates assumptions and jumping to conclusions but hell, it could be true. When she makes it to Agni Corp she parks and quickly makes it to Zuko's office. Ming isn't at her desk so Katara goes right on in and slams the door behind her.

Zuko looks up at her from his computer. "Katara, is there something wrong?"

Instead of answering she pulls out the robe and tennis bracelet from her bag. She slams it down on his desk.

"What was this doing in your bathroom?" She demands. "And why does that bracelet say Mai and Zuko Agni?"

Zuko picks them up and inspects them in confusion. "These are old, i honestly don't know how they got in there."

"Don't you lie to me Zuko. Has she been there since we've been together?"

He leans back in his chair and clicks his head to the side. He doesn't say anything the longer he takes to reply that's the more she's getting upset.

"Yes she has."

Her fists ball at her sides. "So you are still seeing her, and after I opened up my heart to you!"

Zuko stands and comes from behind his desk. "No I'm not Katara. Azula came over to my place the other night but I didn't know that Mai was coming too."

"Yeah, that really explains why her shit was in your bathroom. Your bedroom bathroom!" He leans back on his desk.

"Well I don't know! Maybe she managed to put it there when I wasn't looking. I had a shitload of paperwork to go over."

"That's the same night I called and I texted you and you would answer. She was there that's why. I'm not stupid Zuko!"

"I was working the entire time!" He objects. "I didn't answer because at that time I didn't want to talk to you."

"You couldn't even text me back but you could be the perfect host for your ex girlfriend!"

"What? You're not making any sense." She says and leans off his desk. "Nothing happened!"

She shakes her head at him and pulls the strap of her messenger bag up. "Then why does it say Zuko and Mai Agni?"

"Because-"

"-because what?" She asks sharply. Zuko sighs and runs his hands down his face. Katara shifts from one foot to the other in impatience. From the way he's stalling there's something he doesn't think he should tell.

"We were engaged, that's why. I didn't know that she still kept these things I thought she threw them away."

She looks at him, maybe he is telling the truth. Maybe she's so used to being cheated on and neglected that she can't realize when someone is genuine. But still, they were about to get married. They were about to get married! Someone can't get over that that easily.

"So you two were going to be married. Thanks for letting me know ahead of time." She scoffs.

"It's in the past! I told you I would've ever hurt you." He pulls her to him and sits his hands on her hips. "I'll handle that. I can bring you to work tonight, if you want me to."

"I'm not going to work tonight. Situ Hung is taking me to a party."

"Situ Hung?" He questions. Zuko looks at her disapprovingly.

"Yes, Situ Hung."

"What party?"

"It's a party at The Rune for the CEO and producer. Though I don't see how that's any of your business." She says back with edge.

"When it's something concerning you it is my business!" He states with authority in his voice.

"It wasn't when I wanted to talk to you and you wouldn't answer or reply." She points out. "That was your business and now this is mines."

His mouth forms in a thin line. "You're not going with him."

"You can't tell me what to do!" She steps out of his hold. She looks at him closely, he has the same possessive look in his eyes that Jet once had for her.

"Yes I can."

"No the fuck you can't!"

"Watch your mouth." He scolds. "And what kind of party is this anyway?" He asks bluntly. He gets back on his computer as if he's just asked what she had for lunch.

"It's a birthday party."

"And it's at a club?"

She blinks. "Yes."

"And you're going with Situ Hung."

"Yes, that's my manager." She says. "If I didn't know any better I would think that you didn't trust me."

"It's not you that I don't trust. I don't trust him." He uses such emphasis in his words and Katara doesn't know why he has such a big problem with Situ.

"Why do you have a problem with him?"

"I don't have a problem with him I just don't trust him."

"You've never even met him!"

Zuko turns to face her, from his expression she can tell that he's about to give her a smart reply. "I will be."

"What do you mean you will be?"

"Any man you affiliate with I'm going to check into them whether you like it or not." He says wryly.

"Any man? I don't think that you have an open eye to the fact that women try to fuck me too."

He does a double take at her and she wears a victorious smirk even though the whole robe and bracelet thing is still annoying her.

Lu Ten barges into the room without knocking, as soon as he sees Katara he readjusts himself.

"Hey Katara." He says briefly, he then turns to Zuko. "Ozai wants us in his office."

"Now?" Zuko stands.

Lu Ten nods. "Plus he says that it's important. Zhao is here too along with Jee, I don't know what's going on."

Katara watches as Zuko shrugs into his jacket. He's wearing a black suit with a white button up shirt and a black tie. He's wearing the black and grey LV monogram tie that she helped him pick out a couple of weeks ago. The suit fits his lean muscled frame wonderfully. She can feel a tingling sensation in her chest when he comes over to her.

"We'll finish talking about this later." He moves a few strands of stray hair from her face, his fingers leave tingling feelings and she leans into his touch. He runs his eyes over her face for a moment. This isn't the Zuko who chased her down the strip that Monday, this Zuko is more... Demanding.

This time she's actually looking forward to it.

**.0.**

She glares at Sokka through her bathroom mirror as she brushes out Her freshly flattened hair. He's sitting on the bathtub with his head propped up on his hands. The last time they were in the sane room with each other they fought. So tonight he just popped up unannounced while she was getting ready.

"You know, he's been asking about you a lot." He's talking about their father. Katara has been ignoring him a lot. She just doesn't want to talk to him because he'll just try and push her down his path again.

"I don't want to talk to him right now." She shrugs and places her brush down on the sink. Sokka rises and exits the bathroom behind her.

"But Katara, at least he's trying."

"No, he really isn't." She picks up her stilettos off the floor and grabs her clutch off the bed. "If he was trying he would come to one of my rehearsals or recordings, he doesn't even ask about my upcoming shows either."

"You know he's as stubborn as a mule that's where you get it from. Just promise me you'll talk to him, and before you go did you cook? Where are you going anyway?" He rambles on as they descend down the staircase. She stops at the landing and uses the railing for support as she slides her feet into her heels. She always feel great when she's in a pair of heels. She'll have to start back wearing them more often. Now that she's instantly five and a half inches taller she's almost level with Sokka, but her head only makes it to his neck.

"I don't cook, you know that. I'm going to Rune." She saunters into the foyer while Sokka walks with slumped shoulders to the kitchen. "There's tons of frozen pizza in the deep freezer and chips and snacks." She makes a mental note to go grocery shopping after her classes in the morning. She looks through the mail and it's bill after bill after bill. She tosses them down and opens the letter containing her bank statement. As she reads over the transactions she frowns at the balance.

She now only has two thousand dollars left in her bank account. She knows that she's been spending a lot on books for school and on her other bills but still. Her brows crease as she does the math in her head. Every month she has nine bills to pay and they're automatically drafted out of her bank account. She figures that she's only good for two months or so. She places it back on the table to finish her figuring later.

"What? No sausage? Katara, all you have here is pepperoni and cheese!" Sokka shouts from the kitchen.

"Well figure something else out!" She replies. "There's TV dinners and stuff."

The doorbell dings throughout the house and Katara hurriedly opens it. Situ Hung stands there on her porch with an exasperated look on his face. He's wearing black pants with an untucked white button up shirt that has a few buttons loose at the top, along with a black suit jacket. His hands are tucked in his pockets and his sunglasses are nowhere in sight.

"You look rather ravishing tonight Miss Khalan." He nods in approval. She's wearing a form fitting, short, black, strapless romper and black stilettos with golden heels. Tonight she went the extra mile and applied foundation, concealer, and a setting powder to her face. She's also wearing eyeliner and mascara, her favorites. She invites him in, he looks around a bit.

"Thanks, you look-"

"-Whose this?" Sokka appears from the kitchen with a spatula in his hand.

"Situ Hung this is my brother Sokka. Sokka, this is Situ Hung." Katara introduces.

"Oh yeah." Sokka rubs the nonexistent hair on his chin and looks at Situ Hung skeptically. "You're the manager guy right?"

"A pleasure to meet you Sokka. Yes, I am her manager. Hopefully she doesn't fire me anytime soon." There's humor in his voice for a moment but also some seriousness as well. Does Situ Hung even want to be her manager? Does she even have the power to fire him?

"Mhmmmm. I'll have you know that im a special agent for the CIA, I can get your entire life-"

"-stop it Sokka!" She scolds. He only looks at her and shrugs.

"Ah, no harm done, honestly." Situ grins.

"Okay, so. Yeah, make sure you get my sister back here at a responsible time." Sokka orders with a glare. Situ isn't the least bit intimidated.

"Will do. Katara?" Situ holds out his hand for Katara to take. He helps her down the porch steps.

"I'm serious. I'll send out the entire swat team too." Sokka continues. "Bye Katara!"

Situ opens the car door for her and closes it soundlessly behind her. She looks around the vehicle. Just what type of car is this? Situ settles in next to her and exhales a sigh as he starts the engine and drives off.

"He doesn't cut any corners when it comes down to you does he?" Situ says with amusement in his voice.

"Yeah, he's always like that." Katara says as she peers out her window. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I'm the same with my little sister."

"You have a sister? How old is she?" Katara asks. She really doesn't know a lot about Situ Hung, he's a closed book. Her phone vibrates in her bra and she fishes around to get it, not caring if he sees.

"She's sixteen, eight years younger than me." He replies with his eyes on the road. "She's in Ba Sing- what are you doing?"

"I'm looking for my phone." She says lowly. She finally finds it and opens up her text message. She frowns when she reads the contents in the little blue bubble.

**From**: Zuko

I'm going to be watching him.. And you tonight

**To:** Zuko

Why? Don't you trust me?

**From:** Zuko

I told you. I trust you, it's him that I don't trust.

**To:** Zuko

He's been nothing but gentlemanly!

**From:** Zuko

That's the thing, I don't want that.

**To:** Zuko

You're being ridiculous

**From:** Zuko

Not as ridiculous as I'm going to be.

"Overprotective brother and an overprotective boyfriend? You should feel like the safest woman in the world right?" Situ chuckles.

"How'd you know about-"

"Zuko? I'm your manager. I'm going to know damn near everything about you."

"You sound more like a stalker than a manager." She says lightly.

"Very funny. The CEO's name is Hurok, he's going to be the tall guy with the long grey hair. The producers name is Zing, he has the wild hair, don't worry. You'll know him when you see him."

"Anything else?" She asks. They pass by a long line of fine cars that are parked along the street. Situ pulls up the valet and comes around to let her out.

"Remember to play nice." He says as he tosses the valet boy the keys and places his hand on the small of her back. There's loud music already blasting from out of the heavily guarded club, and a long line of people who're wearing their best outfits. The bouncer nods at Situ and steps to the side to let them in. Katara figures that he's well known here because as soon as they step into the lively place a tall brunette model-like woman comes up and asks him, by his first name, if he'd like something to drink.

"Do you want something?" He looks back at her. She can't hear him but she's a good lip reader. The waitress looks at Situ's hand on her back and then back up at her. She doesn't look too pleased about it, maybe she's an ex or someone that wants him? The club is dark, them the lights change the atmosphere to red, then green and then neon blue and pink.

"Vodka on the rocks, cherry infused." She tells him, he tells it to the waitress and she scurries off. Situ leads her straight to the back of the club and up some stairs. They go down an all blue and white hallway, there are two bouncers on each side of a white door, they too nod at Situ and let him into the room.

The room is very spacious. It has a floor to ceiling window that shows the entire view of the club. The carpet is white a plush, the furniture is the most beautiful shade of red she's ever seen. There's also a mini bar in the room with a bartender behind it, an 'L' shaped couch in the middle of the room and a outrageously large flat screen tv on the wall. There's more than a handful of people around, talking casually and sipping their drinks, all dressed divinely.

"Situ Hung!" A disembodied voice calls out behind them. They turn to see a short gorgeous woman with a black bobbed haircut coming towards them with a drunk in her hand. Her face is flawless and she's wearing what Katara recognizes as a black custom designer dress. She gleefully kisses Situ on both cheeks while making sure she doesn't spill her drink.

"Gino, this is Katara. She's the new addition to Republic Records." Situ steps to the side. "Katara, meet Gino. She's a model-"

"-Oh!" Gino squeals as she shoves her drink into Situ's hand. She takes both of Katara's hands in hers and shakes them vigorously. "It's such a pleasure to finally meet you! You're so pretty, Did you sign on as a model too?"

"No, im a recording artist." Katara slightly winces at the woman's tight grip.

"Oh that's wonderful! Call me sometime, we can go shopping and get manicured!" Gino let's go of her hands and takes her drink from an exasperated looking Situ.

"Thank you for the warm welcome, Gino, but Katara and I have to go now." Situ says kindly. Gino engulfs Katara into a big hug and tells her that she'll catch up with her later.

"She's really nice." Katara says when Gino is out of earshot.

Situ guides her over to the couch. "They all start out that way." On the couch are two men. Katara instantly recognizes them as Hurok and Zing. Situ shakes both of their hands and steps aside, slightly pushing Katara forward.

Hurok stands with a sincere smile and his hand out. "Miss Katara, lovely to finally meet you." Katara shakes his hand with as much strength as she can, like her father taught her.

"I hear she has a voice of the angels!" Zing stands and bows very dramatically. The cigar he's smoking is pretty loud, just as loud as his copper hair and bright grey eyes. "How do you do milady?"

"I'm fine thank you, and yourselves?" Situ sits her down on the couch and disappears off somewhere. "Happy birthdays by the way." She says, but Hurok doesn't look a day over thirty, perhaps he dyed his hair? But Zing looks to be no older than her. He enthusiastically engages into a conversation with a passing waitress.

"Thank you, though I sometimes regret these birthdays." Hurok chuckles as he raises his glass to signal for the waitress. Situ comes back over with the drink she ordered a few minutes ago and something in a neon green glass for himself. He settles in besides her and leans back on the plush couch.

"Why's that?"

"It's one day closer to the day I die. Now, did you know that every year we pass our birthday but we pass our death day at the same time? Eerie isn't it?"

"Very eerie." Katara agrees before drinking down her vodka. Situ looks at her strangely, maybe he didn't take her to be a drinker. As soon as she it's it down on the round white table it's refilled by an unknown source.

"Hurok is somewhat of a philosopher in all things strange." Situ comments with a genuine grin. "He'll talk to you infinity on anything."

"Any and everything. Don't mind Situ, he's far too disciplined for his age!" Hurok pats him on the back. "Live a little, have fun! Quit taking life so seriously!" Katara admires Hurok's spirit, he reminds her a lot of Iroh.

"I agree with Mr. Hurok." She says. "You may as well have all the fun you want to have, quit taking life so serious. We won't be getting out of this alive anyway."

"Exactly!" Hurok claps his hands together. "I could not have said it better myself."

Situ looks at her appraisingly. "Good one."

"I know." She smiles back.

"So, how long before your first album comes out Katara?" Zing asks as he turns towards them and lights another cigar. Hell, she doesn't know. She looks at Situ for help.

"As am estimated date it should be done and in stores two weeks from now." He covers for her expertly. "First week, sell out. I promise."

"I hope so. No offense, but I hope you have a backup plan if this doesn't work out. Not that I don't have faith in you, i tell this to all my young people." Zing explains. "I'm a lawyer."

Katara almost blanches at him then looks at Situ Hung. He's expecting her to be that good on her first album? What if she doesn't sell anything? What if they hate her? She chugs down her drink, then another and another. The night goes by and after a few new drinks and great laughs Katara leans back onto the sofa, she's leaning onto Situ more than she should but he doesn't seem to mind.

When she looks up at the door she thinks she's just imagining things because of the liquor. She rubs her eyes not caring if she smudges her eyeliner. At the door, in all his pride and glory is none other than Zuko Agni. Her heart skips when he begins walking straight towards her.

**.0.**

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	15. Chapter 15

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Fifteen**

"Katara, Katara!" Zuko shakes her to wake up when he comes back into bedroom. She groans and pulls a pillow over her head.

"Go away!" She shoos him with her hand. "Seriously, you're starting to behave like Christian Grey- _not that that's a bad thing."_

At Rune when he popped up out of the blue he came to take her away from Situ and the others. She'd had a lot to drink and Zuko clearly saw that she was too close to Situ Hung for his liking. Long story short, he basically snatched her away. Situ completely understood the situation. In fact he was low-key amused by it.

Zuko's mouth presses into a thin line. "This is what we're doing now? You're bringing out the weirdo characters from those novels?" He takes her pillow away and tosses it to the side before he pulls her up by her shoulders. Her head lays on his chest as he unzips her suite and peels it off of her. He leans and back and tries not to let his mind race as he takes in her form. She's clad in that navy blue lace undergarment set. Besides the red one she has this is his favorite.

"You're so jealous." She pushes him away and falls back on the soft bed. Zuko sighs. "Why?"

"What do you mean why? You think I'd just let you out there alone? You have a slight drinking problem Katara, someone else could've taken advantage of that." He pulls the sheets and comforter out and drapes them over her form. "I saw how he looked at you, I'm not crazy. I'm a man too."

"You think he wants me?"

"I know he does."

"Well, I don't care who wants me." She folds her arms under her pillow. She mumbles something incoherent into her pillow.

Zuko doesn't say anything.

"Are you mad at me? Something's wrong with you. What is it?"

"No and nothing." He stands and pulls his shirt over his head. From the tone she can tell he's at least irritated. Katara watches the muscles flex in his sides and back. She exhales a warm breath when she begins to feel her libido rising.

"You're lying Zuko."

"I won't tell you anything, at least not in that drunken state. You won't even remember anything tomorrow."

Zuko slides into bed next to her after he flicks off the light. He wraps around her like ivy, crushing her to his chest.

"Why can't you just listen?"

"I do listen to you but you can't go around thinking that you're going to control everything in my life." She says lowly in mild annoyance.

"I wouldn't say it like that." He covers. He doesn't know what it is himself, he wouldn't label it as being possessive, overprotective, and controlling. It's just the thought of someone else having her makes his blood boil.

"You came in like the terminator, Zuko." She sighs as she recalls the memory.

"Did I make a bad impression?"

"Yes you did."

"Good." He states simply. He moves the slightest bit and begins tracing the artwork on her back. She closes her eyes and relaxes to his touch.

"I don't know why you would think I'd cheat on you, I'm not that type of person." Mirth drips from her mouth. "Honestly, I don't care who wants me. I only want you."

His hand pauses a few seconds before he continues. "It's the same with me."

"You're jealousy is outrageously adorable."

"I'm serious."

"So am I." She sighs. "I can't talk much. I don't even like Ming, that Song girl or Mai. Especially Mai."

He half chuckles. "What did Ming and Song do?" The two women have been working under him for three years now. They've never tried anything on him.

"Ming is nice and all but I can see by the way she looks at you that she wants you. Song is just so obvious. She never dressed like that until I started coming around."

"I've never noticed."

"How humble of you." She rolls her eyes as she switches onto her back and arches her legs up around him. He lowers his body down on hers and he breathes in the flowery scent of her hair. He's so content until his hand places it's self on her hip. It trails on down to her thighs and knee before it's fingertips brush her core. She shudders, Zuko smirks into her neck.

He eases up and looks down her body, the body that he won't be touching tonight. She's beautiful, Zuko can't ever imagine her with someone else.

"Zuko." She half whines and locks her arms around his neck.

"What is it?"

Instead of verbally answering him she slips her fingers Into his pants and tugs. Zuko remembers when they first had sex, it was electrifying.

"You're not getting that Katara."

She tugs again. "Why not?"

Zuko moves off of her and wraps his body around her like ivy. She sighs into his chest heavily. "Go to sleep." He smiles as she turns her back to him angrily and crosses her arms. About thirty minutes later he's woken up by a poking in the side of his neck. He pries his eyes open to see blue ones staring back him in the dimly lit room.

"Were you sleep?" She asks innocently.

He resists the urge to roll his eyes at her. "Of course I was sleep Katara."

"Oh, okay." She turns her back to him and falls dead asleep.

What the hell?

**.0.**

"Hey!" Yue snaps her fingers in front of Katara's face. "Wake up!"

Katara groans and pulls her sunglasses up to the top of her head. She's still beat from last night, she seriously didn't get enough sleep. She's dressed in jeans, black knee boots, a white top and a black leather jacket with a monogrammed scarf around her neck. She didn't even feel like getting out of bed at eight this morning. She considers slowing down her drinking frequencies. Zuko was gone when she woke up but at least he made her breakfast.

It was eggs, cheese with grits, sausage and bacon with a blueberry muffin and a tall glass of orange juice. She devoured it, she was starving! She's sure he texted her this morning but she hasn't checked her phone.

"What did you do last night? Was Zuko involved?" Yue glances up at her between her words as she sifts through hangers of designer clothing. They've been in this mall since ten, Katara is ready to go back home and sleep.

"No, I wish." Katara says sullenly. "I didn't get last night I felt like I was about to explode. Me and Situ went to Rune and met with the CEO and producer of Republic Records. I got so drunk last night it isn't even funny, then Zuko came barging in like the federal agents trying to bust a drug lord."

"No!" Yue gasps.

"Yes. The next thing I know I'm being dumped in the passenger seat of his car and we're doing one hundred on the interstate."

"That's cute!"

Katara's brow creases. "In your world yes, that would be cute."

"It just shows that he's scared to lose you, that's so romantic!" She pulls a red gown from the rack and looks it over, it's very beautiful. It's exactly like the one Katara wore to the Agni banquet. Yue changes her mind and puts it back on the rack.

"Yeah, Jet was afraid to lose me too. Look how that ended up."

"Have you seen or talked to him since...?"

"No, actually I haven't. At least now I'm able to learn from him, I used to want him dead. Now, it doesn't bother me anymore what he did." She says serenely. Yue nods in agreement and loops her arm through hers.

"That's great, you're making progress now." She smiles.

"I guess I am. What about you? Have you decided on any wedding colors yet?"

"I decided on all white a couple of days ago but now I've changed my mind to royal blue and gold." Yue says as they exit the store.

"That sounds beautiful."

"It's going to be a winter wonderland!"

"that's really adorable, I cannot wait!" Katara replies. "When are you going dress shopping?"

"Actually, I already have my dress." Her blue eyes gleam.

"Come again?"

"I'll show you when we leave here. It's absolutely stunning! Have you found something for tomorrow night?"

"I think I have, I've dug up something." Katara sighs. "Please tell me we're leaving now, I'm ready to go to sleep." She adjusts her shopping bags in her hand.

"I think that's it for today. I'm starting to cramp now." Yue replies. "Having periods is a total waste of a week, at least I'm not pregnant."

Katara's mind goes blank. When was the last time that she got a period? She only knows for sure that she got it two months ago.

_She's late._

_She's really late._

_This could mean..._

She grabs Yue's hand and races to the mall entrance.

After arriving home she digs into a chest in her closet and pulls out four pregnancy tests. She snatched them away from the hospital before she left, pregnancy tests and latex gloves. She scoops them into her arms and heads into the bathroom. As soon as she starts opening them the doorbell rings, she freezes. What if it's Zuko? What if it's Sokka? She hides the tests away under the sink. The doorbell rings again and again, can they not wait?

She unlocks the door and swings it open and Situ stands there in a fine black suit. He looks her over before chuckling. "Well, you look like shit."

"Really?" She glares at him. She's wearing a pair of extra lose sweatpants, a Green Day t shirt and a pair of multi colored socks. Her hair is all over her head and she's still cranky because she hasn't been back to sleep yet. Must Situ Hung be so blunt all the time?

"You left this at the club." He hands her a long tear drop shaped golden earring. It definitely is hers, her father bought them

For her on her sixteenth birthday.

"I would've torn this house up looking for this. Thank you, Situ. Did you want to come in for tea or hot chocolate? You'll have to make the tea yourself because I don't know how..."

Humor flashes across his face and he grins boyishly. "No thank you. I have to get going to the office and handle some things there. Don't forget to be at the studio for eight. You won't need to be at The opera hall until five for rehearsal, do I have to send a car to make sure you get there on time?"

"Of course not!"

"I'll email you later on today about the details." He walks away down the porch without saying goodbye or anything, this time she doesn't watch him drive off. She rushes back into the house and up the stairs to her bedroom bathroom. She picks up the white box again and begins to read over the directions. A few moments later she tosses the paper down on the counter and sighs.

She can't do this. What if she really is pregnant? A baby is one of the many things that she doesn't not need right now. A baby will ruin everything. It's not that she doesn't want one at all, she wants a lot of children one day. Today's just not the day and Zuko probably will have a cow if she is. She scolds herself for being too scared to take the damned test. She's finally come to the conclusion that if it doesn't come by Sunday then She'll take the test.

Tahno calls and asks if she can cover someone else's shift tonight. She agrees, she doesn't have anything else to do. After Tidying up a bit and sticking a pizza into the oven she relaxes in her bed and watches some dramatic movie. The woman on the movie is being stalked by her coworker. It's utterly cliche in Katara's book but it's good nonetheless.

As she replies back to a text message from Sokka she contemplates on calling her father and telling him about the opera hall tomorrow night but she reconsiders. He probably won't even answer the phone from her. She sighs and closes her eyes, she's got at least six hours before she has to get up and get ready for work. She really doesn't feel like going but she knows that she needs the money.

When she's in the kitchen taking her pizza out of the oven her phone rings. Looking at the caller ID she sees that it's Dr. Mioko, she grudgingly answers it.

"May I help you?" Katara asks with exasperation. Dr. Mioko is her dietician, she's been under Mioko's care for a few years now.

"As a matter of fact yes you may!" Comes the doctors smart reply. "Where have you been Katara? It's been a month and two weeks since you last came to me!"

"I've been a bit busy lately. That's all."

"we're supposed to be monitoring your recovery process but that's kind of hard seeing as though your being delinquent with your appointments!"

"Alright!" Katara pops open a sprite. "I'll stop by sometime."

"Make it tomorrow morning at eight."

"I can tomorrow morning. I have things-"

"- I'm booked up until January. Make it tomorrow morning Katara. Your health is far more important than anything else." There's warmth and comfort in the woman's voice.

"Alright, I'll be there In morning for eight."

"Don't forget to bring a list of your food schedule. I'll see you in the morning."

Katara hangs up the phone and sighs. She looks at the pizza that's on the counter, she doesn't hand an appetite but she'll force herself to eat.

**.0.**

Work is slow tonight, the young people don't come on these days. The more mature crowd takes over. No ones really requesting for drinks so Katara it's behind the bar on a tiny stool and checks her phone. She remembers to text Situ about in the morning.

**To: **Situ

_I'm going to have to come to the studio late, I have a doctors appointment in the morning._

**From:** Situ

_That figures. How late are you talking?_

**To**: Situ

_9:30_

**From:** Situ

_Seriously?_

"You have a table Katara." Kouga snaps her back to reality. "Over in the corner. They asked for you especially."

She stands and sticks her phone in her back pocket. "Your sure they asked for me?"

"Yes. You're the only Katara here." He hands her her pad and pen. As she moves through the slow dancing bodies she begins to wonder just who asked for her by her name.

"Oh! There she is!" A familiar voice pops up loudly over the music. Katara's jaw almost drops at what she sees. At the round table in the corner of the room and accompanied by two other women sits Ursa. Her hair is down and she's wearing a strapless champagne colored dress. Just what's she doing here?

"Hi Mrs. Agni." Katara says warily. What's she doing in a place like this dressed up like that?

"Katara, this is Jin and Sango. Jin and Sango, this is Katara, she's my daughter in law. Her and Zuko are going to get married on ember island. They'll have a house full of kids, a huge litter." Ursa sips from her wineglass. Katara blushes deeply, Ursa has already planned her future with Zuko.

"It's really nice to meet you Katara. We're Zuko And Azula'a aunts." Jin says kindly.

"Off of his mothers side." Sango nods with a sleek smile. "That's where Ursa's children get there looks from."

"Oh." Katara's blue eyes dart between the three giggling women. "Um, would you like something to drink?"

"I want the strongest you have!" Ursa claps her hands together.

"I'll have some tequila on the rocks, a slice of lime too." Sango adds.

"I'd like to drink the guy behind the bar." Jin leans over in her seat to get a better look at Kouga. "yes in deed.."

"He's too young for you!" Ursa exclaims as

She cranes to get a better look.

"You'll have to excuse my sister. She's quite the cougar."Jin says with purses lips.

"I'm only thirty, I don't consider that as being a cougar. How old is he anyway?"

Katara pauses her writing and looks up. "He's making twenty five, I think he's single. He's never bought up anything about a girlfriend." She really doesn't know anything about Kouga. All she knows is that they go to the same school, his age and they work together. He's just like Situ, a big mystery.

"See? Twenty four!" The woman applauds. Katara excuses herself to go and get their drinks, that atmosphere is so uncomfortable. Her boyfriends mother is in the club with he sisters getting drunk. She wonders if Ozai and the other knows about this.

She gives Kouga the slip with the drinks written on them and he prepares them immediately. He sits them on the tray and slides it back to her, she shoves it back.

"Actually, do you mind bringing them? I have to run to the bathroom."

Kouga raises an eyebrow. "Uh, I'm not a waiter Katara, I'm the barkeep. Besides, Tahno doesn't like it when we switch positions."

"Just this one time." She says. He doesn't say anything. "Come on Kouga, I'm about to wiz on myself!"

"Alright! Keep your panties on!" He grins down at her. "Or off, either ways fine."

She suppresses her blush and scurries off to the back to the employee lounge. Luckily it's empty, she makes it to the bathroom and locks herself in a stall. Sitting down on the closed toilet she checks her phone. Her father has called her, that's a surprise. It's half past twelve now he's probably sleep. She decides to call him back later.

**To:** Situ

_I have a doctors appointment Its not like I won't ever show up I'll just be late._

**From:** Situ

_Then I'll take you._

**To:** Situ

_You don't need to do that I can take myself._

**From: **Situ

_I don't want to hear it, just be ready for 7:30_

She blows her hair out of her face. What is it with this guy? She can detect the attitude in his texting. Katara doesn't need someone to escort her everywhere that she's got to go. Just as soon as she stands there's a quick rapping on the stall door.

"Katara? You in there?" It's Tahno. Does he not realize that he's in the women's bathroom? Well, he does own the place. She unlocks the door and steps out. Tahno looks her over. "Did you get lost or something?"

"I was just-"

"-Trying to get some self stimulation in, I understand." He flips his hair. "Now run along, I don't pay you to masturbate." He spanks her bottom and Katara jumps. What the hell?

"But I wasn't even-"

"Yes. Sure you weren't darling. I completely understand." He rolls his eyes and shoos her out of the bathroom and back to the bar. The rest of the night is a blur, Ursa and her sisters are already gone. They've probably found somewhere else to get their groove from. She's beyond tired and she wants nothing more than to go home and get in her comfortable bed. They have to stay behind an extra two hours to clean the place up. Tonight she's made two hundred dollars, she guesses that's okay. It's two hundred dollars more than she started out with.

Once home she strips and climbs into her bed after she switches on the television. Her mind drifts back to the pregnancy tests in her bathroom. She's been so careless lately and she can't even remember her last cycle. Not to mention that right before she clocked out she was nauseated, luckily it went down. It's a great possibility that she is pregnant, she prays and hopes she's not, she doesn't need that right now. It's four in the morning and she has to force herself to sleep. She has to get up in the morning for her appointment. She was going to text Zuko, but she went to sleep. That night she dreamt of baby bottles and amber eyes.

Situ is a man of his word. He's parked outside of her house early the next morning. Katara sees this as an opportunity to sleep a little longer so she eventually agrees. The car is warm and she listens to slow music to maintain her serene state. If Situ said something to her she wouldn't know. She doesn't feel good this morning, she feels fatigued. She runs her hand across her forehead, what's going on with her? She can't take sick now she has her first opening show tonight.

He pokes her in her arm to get her attention. She pulls out her earphones out of her ears and looks at him expectantly.

"You look like shit this morning." He says with a frown. He looks at her briefly and then returns his eyes back to the road.

"Thank you for being your normal gentlemanly self, prick." She mutters.

"No seriously, you look terrible. Are you sick?"

"No."

"Don't lie to me Katara, this is important. This doctor you're going to see, what kind of doctor is he?"

"She's a nutritionist or a dietician. I can't remember."

"So that's why you're coming here. You aren't eating like you're supposed to and I see that's why you're so small."

"Can you just drive and keep your eyes on the road? You're about to miss the doctors office." She demands sternly. "I knew I should've drove myself here."

He pulls smoothly into the offices parking lot and double parks. He angrily places the car in park and glares at her. "You're Either bulimic, pregnant, depressed or just plain crazy. Which one is it?"

"I don't know." She says honestly. "I don't know."

"…Does he know?"

"No."

He stares at her a while longer before he gets out the car and opens her door for her. He's wearing another black suit, he must have a lot of those handy. She can feel Situ watching her carefully as they walk into the office. As Situ gives her name and information to the receptionist she stands on the side and looks at him grudgingly.

Why does he care so much about what's going on with her. She knows why, if something happens to her and she can't do a show he won't be getting paid for it. It's a money thing, there's no regular compassion in him probably. He pulls out her phone to check the time, it's eight o'clock on the dot.

Zuko has texted good morning and that he'll be coming get her for lunch at the Pizza Joint, she doesn't reply. She doesn't want to right now, she doesn't want him to know where she is. As soon as she gets out of here she's going to reply. Situ guides her over to a row of chairs after he checks her in. She pauses, he stops and looks back at her with concern. Whys her heart beating so quickly? Everything has turned fuzzy and she can feel the sweat prickling on her forehead, it's so hot in here all of a sudden.

Then she's falling, Situ catches her before she can hit the ground. The last thing she sees before she blacks out is Situ's worried expression.

**.0.**

**Read and Review**


	16. Chapter 16

**Story Title:** I Won't Give Up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**A:N I know i'm late, but i just recently started watching Vampire Diaries. It's amazing! I was gonna update sooner but i liked to see you all cranky LOL! Anyway, i have a surprise coming up soon... But i can't update it just yet. ;)**

**Sixteen**

"Katara?" It's Situ's voice that she hears when she first wakes up. He's standing beside her with a hand on her arm. She tries to sit up on her own but he helps her in an upright position. She sees that she's in a huge office on a lounge chair, she recognizes this office. It's Milan's.

"What happened?" Her voice comes out tired and dry. "Am I dead?"

Situ smiles. "Nah."

"No, you aren't dead." A new voice arises from the corner of the room behind the desk. "You're just malnutritioned, dehydrated, and fatigued out of this world."

Katara was assigned to Milan two years ago through Sokka. It was when she was at the height of the Jet phase. What about the baby? Is there even a baby? What if she lost it? What if she miscarried again? The nausea and guilt washes over her and she almost goes into a mental breakdown.

Milan is in her early forties, she reminds Katara a lot of Ursa, so fashionable and vibrant. She has dark hair that she keeps in a long braid at the back of her head and shining green eyes. Shes tall and slim with a delicate figure. She's beautiful but Katara gets the sense that she doesn't know it. She's wearing a navy blue sweater that has her ID on the left breast and khaki slacks.

"It's a good thing your boyfriend was here, plus he didn't want to leave you at all." Milan smiles warmly, the dimples in her full cheeks sink in. "Such the gentleman he is."

"He's not my boyfriend." Katara says tiredly. "We're just friends." She leans back on the chair and Situ massages her arm. He doesn't say anything to the woman's assumptions but something does flash across his eyes.

"I see. Well, my apologies. Katara, listen to me and listen carefully," Milan stands and walks swiftly across the room to her. She glances at Situ. "Do you mind stepping out for a moment? It's patient confidentiality."

"Not at all." He stands. "I'll be in the hall." Once Situ is safely out of the room Milan's innocent facade drops.

"What the fuck?" Katara half shouts. The older woman has pinched the skin of her hand. Katara sits up to examine the damage. The skin of her hand is still a little held up. It hasn't relaxed from it's previous assault."What is wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong me but you should be asking you that same question." She goes back to her desk and picks up a yellow clipboard. "Katara Khalan, age twenty three, height five foot three and weighs one hundred and five pounds." Milan frowns. "One hundred and five pounds! We had an agreement. You're supposed to weight at least one hundred and twenty pounds by now. The last visit you weighed a flat one thirty. What are you eating? Are you even eating?"

"Yes, I eat! I eat everyday. I even take all the vitamins and everything else!" She throws her hands up. Every time she eats she's throwing it back up, or making herself starve to keep her body. She doesn't know why it's happening. She doesn't know why she's suddenly so obsessed with her weight.

"What did you have for breakfast?" Milan crosses her arms over her chest.

"Nothing."

"What about yesterday? What did you eat Katara?"

"I had a slice of pizza. That's it."

"Drink anything?"

"Some tequila and rum, that's about it."

"And the day before?"

"I had a bagel and an apple." She says lowly. "I don't have much of an appetite and even when I am hungry I can't pull myself to eat."

Milan nods. "I see, I understand. But Katara you have to eat, eat plenty fruits and vegetables. I want you to eat a lot of protein, okay?"

Katara hesitantly nods.

"Starting today I want you to eat three meals a day. Even Inbetween those meals I still want you eat. Drink plenty of water and go to sleep at a reasonable time. In this case, junk food and late night eating is welcomed. I'm going to prescribe you more vitamins, schedule you an appointment for every week and give you a health chart."

She walks back to her desk and pulls out a small pad of papers. Katara asks her the question that's been running through her mind. "Okay, and what about...?"

"About what?" Milan says without looking up from her task.

"Am I pregnant?"

"I wouldn't know if you're pregnant. But would that be bad news or good news to you?" She rips a paper and then stamps it. Katara let's out a relieved sigh. She's safe!

"It would be terrible. I hope I'm not. I couldn't even carry my last one full term." She closes her eyes.

Milan pauses. "I never knew that, what trimester were you in?"

"My second." Katara says with lowered eyes. "Im scared that If i am pregnant I would lose this one too. I may not ever be able to have children."

"No, don't go beating up over something you had no control over. " Milan wraps her in a motherly embrace.

"I did have control over it. I could've prevented it but I didn't." She could've left, she should've left. If she would've Listened to Sokka and Aang she would've been sane. She would've had her daughter now. "It's m falt, it's all my faut'

Milan gives her a sorrowful look. "Would you like for me to assign you a therapist? I'm getting the signs of post traumatic stress syndrome here."

"No, it's fine. I'll manage." She wipes her watering eyes. "It's fine."

Milan wants to argue more but she keeps silent and reaches into her pocket to give Katara a handkerchief. She takes it gratefully and dabs her eyes, she thought she'd gotten over this. Obviously not, this was the wrong place to breakdown at.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Milan rises and places her hands on her hips. "Okay then. I'm going to keep checking on you up until your appointments alright?" She hands her the prescriptions, Katara eventually takes them and stands to leave. Milan grabs her hand.

"Please Katara, eat something." She stares into her blue eyes with plead. Katara only gives her a mid before she leaves the room. Situ is in a chair by the door, he stands as soon as he sees her.

"Everything went alright?" He asks.

"Yeah, it's… it's fine. I'm just tired." He nods and doesn't say anything glib. He takes her back home instead of heading to the studio. She collapses into the sofa and buries her head in the plush pillow. Situ has invaded her kitchen. He's scolding her about the unhealthy junk food and the lack of fruits, vegetables and meats.

"your doctor said to make sure you ate." Situ fiddles around on his phone. "What's your favorite food?"

"Pizza and cookies, but I'm not hungry." She says. "I'm surprised you haven't blown this out of proportion, me missing studio time and all."

"Yeah well, I don't need you passing out on stage." He stage says dryly. "I ordered you some food."

"What? How-"

"Zuko it boyfriend didn't answer when I called I'm guessing that he was in some type of shitty meeting." Situ states. Katara checks her phone, he hasn't called her or Anything. It makes her frown. She texts him three words, three words she's only told Sokka.

"His meetings aren't shitty." She sits up and folds her legs on the sofa. "I don't think they are at least."

"You've never been to one?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"They sound boring." She shrugs one shoulder. "Do you have anyone?"

"I have a lot of people Katara you have to be more specific." He grins as he sits across from her on another sofa.

"A girlfriend." She suggests. "…Or a boyfriend." Situ blanches at her, she quickly tries to smooth things over. "I mean it's okay to be gay! I love gay people, my boss is even gay. Do you want to meet him?"

"Just… just stop it Katara." He chuckles. "I'm not gay."

She blushes. "that's good then."

"If I didn't know any better I would say that you're only saying that's a good thing because you want me in your bed."

"No!" She exclaims. "N-No!"

"Sure. Don't worry I'm only a call away if your boy toy screws up." He says in a amused tone. Katara thinks that his joke he used on her a few seconds ago, she thinks that its been used a lot on other women. He looks like a womanizer, but he reminds her a lot of Zuko and Lu Ten with his jet black hair and piercing amber eyes.

"So…what did you order?" She changes the subject. "Was it pizza?"

"I got you real food, a real meal. Do you know what that is?"

"Of course!"

"I can't tell, all you have in your kitchen is junk."

She clicks her tongue at him. "Food is food. What's in your kitchen?"

"Real food."

"Yeah, whatever." She clicks on the television. The door bell rings and he rises to open it. From her position on the couch she sees that it's someone whose wearing a black and orange uniform. The door closes and Situ returns with two white plastic bags in each hand. The wonderful smell of hot food wafts up through her nostrils and makes her mouth water. He sits them On the coffee table and walks off.

She rips one bag open and pulls out the styrofoam plates inside. She opens it; it's baked and fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. The other plate is shrimp fried rice, teriyaki chicken and sweet and sour meat. She decides she'll eat these two.

In the kitchen she can see Situ pour a glass of water and takes out her medicine from the bottle. She frowns up, she's not taking that disgusting medicine with that nasty water. She doesn't even drink water.

He comes back and hands her the water and medicine. "Here, take these before you eat."

"No thank you." She rips open the small utensil package. "I don't drink water."

"Just take it."

She ignores him and begins eating out both plates. Where'd he order this from? Its delicious!

"Will you just take it and quit being a child?" Situ asks in unconcealed annoyance.

"I told you I don't want it!"

"Well that's too bad! You have to take it."

"I don't have to do anything I don't want to do!"

"Yes, yes you do!" He makes her take the glass and the medicine. "Just take it!"

"Why?" Katara eyes the water in disgust.

"Because the doctor said so."

"But She isn't here so…"

Situ glares at her when she puts them aside and starts back eating. "I'll take the after I eat, mother."

"Fine." He checks his watch. "It's only half past one, you'll have plenty of time to rest up for tonight."

"Exactly who is this opera woman?"

"A total bitch." He almost sneers.

"Oh."

The doorbell rings, much to her confusion Situ gets up to open it. She goes to window and pulls the curtain back, it's Zuko. She releases the curtain.

Well shit.

"Hey." She says when Zuko first steps into the living room. Situ is behind him with his hands in his pockets. "Zuko, this is Situ. Situ, this is Zuko."

"A pleasure." Zuko states tightly.

"Same." Situ says dryly as he checks his watch. "Tara, I got some stuff to handle at the office. I'll meet you at the hall tonight."

"Okay, I'll walk you out."

"I can remember the way." He says glibly. "See you." Katara watches him leave out the front door.

"Tara?" Zuko asks. "I don't even call you Tara."

"I never said you couldn't, you just choose not to." She shrugs and goes back to her meal. "What's with you lately? And where were you earlier? You wouldn't even answer or text me back."

"Nothings with me. Secondly I was at work and I didn't check my phone until a few minutes ago." He sits on the arm of the couch watches her. "Why?"

"Because I needed you."

"What did you need?"

"I didn't need anything material thing. I needed you, you know? Your presence?" She's never told anyone besides her mother that she needed them before. But this time she needed Zuko, she didn't know what was going on with her.

"What happened?"

She looks at him, his mind is clearly on something else. "It was nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing." Zuko says in a low tone.

"Yeah? Well, it's nothing now. I don't want to talk about it." She closes the lids of her food and gets up to go to her bedroom for the nap she's promised herself to take.

"Now your about to go and lock up in your bat cave again?" Zuko follows behind her.

"Bat cave? Are you serious right now?"

"Pretty much." He shrugs at her and picks up a picture on her dresser while she changes clothes. It's the picture she and her mother took at the beach the day before she died. She takes off her hoodie and climbs into bed.

"I've had a terrible morning and If you aren't going to comfort me and make it all go away can you please leave?" She turns her back to him and covers her head. It's silent in the room, she guesses that he's left so her heart sinks. Then she feels a weight on the bed and an arm droops over her waist.

"What type of boyfriend would I be if I left you in despair?"

"A terrible one."

He nuzzles her neck. "What's the matter?"

"… one day I'll tell you about it. Just not today." She rolls onto her back and stares up at the ceiling. "Do you want babies?"

"Excuse me?" His roaming hand pauses on her thigh. "Are you pregnant?"

"No, I'm just asking."

He stares at her a while longer before his roaming continues. "I want a lot actually, three or four. You?"

"I don't want any." She breathes. Zuko pauses again.

"What about marriage?"

"I don't think I see that in my future. I've never even imagined having a wedding."

"So you don't want kids and you don't want marriage?"

"That's right, well I don't want that now. I'm about to have a lot going on in my life."

"So what do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

His hand cups her cheek and amber melts against cerulean. "Well I only want you." She pulls him on her by his loosened hair and arches her legs around him. She loves the feeling of him dominating, touching and arousing her, it makes her body ache and everything that worries her is forgotten.

Is it love? Is it lust?

It's just her and him, nothing else. That's the way she wants it. Her fingernails scrape against his skin when she pulls his shirt above his head. He holds himself up on his strong arms, Zuko shivers at her touch. Katara reaches up to the back of his neck and pulls his lips down into hers. He deepens it by wrapping her legs around his waist and pressing harder into her.

She gasps into his mouth when his length brushes against her sensitive spot. His lips trail on down to her neck; kissing, biting, licking. He moves against her again, this time lighter and slower. He pulls off her pants and tosses them to the floor. Now she's clad in only her lacy blue underwear.

"You don't know what you do to me Katara." He half whispers. "I just…I don't want you with anyone else."

"Why are you so worried?" He's been acting so strangely lately, she wishes she knew what's going on with him. She moves on top of him and kisses his bottom lip. His hands go to her backside and presses her waist down on his.

"I don't know but I never thought you'd tell me you need me. What happened earlier? I can see you're not over it. Was it something with Situ? If so ill-"

"-No, it wasn't him. Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to tell you about it. Just…not today."

"You're still scared." He says knowingly. His strong arms tighten around her protectively. She looks at him funny.

"Scared of what?"

"Me, us, this."

She stares. "Not now Zuko."

Her kisses trail down his chest and to his stomach while her hands travel. Zuko takes her long hair in his hands and pushes her lower, encouraging her on what he wants. His breathing has quickened and his eyes are glazed over with passion and lust. She goes lower past the line of dark curled hairs and unzips his pants. The bulge in his boxers is pleading to be let free. She kisses and runs her tongue over it through the material. She hears a sharp intake of breath when she pulls him out fully.

"Katara…"

"Shhhh." She kisses the tip of him and rolls her tongue down the side. Zuko's hands tighten in her hair but she doesn't mind. "I only want you, I told you that didn't I?"

She lowers her head down on him again but he speaks again. "What's blood bending?"

She pauses and looks up at him slowly. "What?"

"I said, what is blood bending?"

"How do you- who told you about that?"

"Nobody, it was just-"

"- You're not supposed to know about that, where'd you hear it from?" She asks. Blood bending, it's supposed to be a family secret, only certain water benders can know about that. Only she knows, and the only person that she told was Aang, that's only because he's the avatar.

"Is it…?" His eyes search hers. "Is it…Something bad? Can you do it?"

She would tell him that she can, she would tell him that she's a master blood bender… but she's not going to say that. She leans up to him and riddles his cheek and neck with light kisses. "I don't know who told you about that, but when I do I'll be paying them a visit. Okay?" She tugs on his ear and kisses back down his chest.

"Okay?" She momentarily pauses and looks up at him.

He nods and pulls her hair to one side before she fully takes him into her mouth.

**.0.**

_Listen to the song here in my heart_

_A melody I start but can't complete_

_Listen to the sound from deep within_

_It's only beginning_

_To find release_

_Oh,_

_The time has come_

_For my dreams to be heard_

_They will not be pushed aside and turned_

_Into your own_

_All cause you won't_

_Listen..._

_[Chorus:]_

_Listen,_

_I am alone at a crossroads_

_I'm not at home in my own home_

_And I've tried and tried_

_To say what's on my mind_

_You should have known_

_Oh,_

_Now I'm done believing you_

_You don't know what I'm feeling_

_I'm more than what you made of me_

_I followed the voice you gave to me_

_But now I gotta find my own._

_You should have listened_

_There is someone here inside_

_Someone I thought had died_

_So long ago_

_Oh I'm screaming out, and my dreams will be heard_

_They will not be pushed aside or worked_

_Into your own_

_All cause you won't_

_Listen..._

_[Chorus]_

_I don't know where I belong_

_But I'll be moving on_

_If you don't..._

_If you won't..._

_...listen to the song here in my heart_

_A melody I've started but I will complete_

_Oh,_

_Now I'm done believing you_

_You don't know what I'm feeling_

_I'm more than what you've made of me_

_I followed the voice you think you gave to me_

_But now I gotta find my own,_

_My own._

"He didn't come did he?" Katara asks Sokka and Yue at the bar in the lobby. "Figures." Hakoda knew this was something big for her yet he still didn't show up. He didn't send a card or roses and he didn't even call. That really messed up her mood.

"Well…" Aang looks around. "At least you really wowed the crowd. They loved you." Katara feels the bundles of red and white roses in her lap but doesn't say anything. Across the room Lu Ten and Zuko are being talked to death by some fat bald man in a bright red suit. She has to know who told him about blood bending, he isn't supposed to know that. The last person who spoke on that went missing.

"Aang is right. You were amazing." Yue smilies.

"Yeah." Katara shrugs her shoulders and throws back another shot. "Thanks."

"It'll be okay." Her sister in law pats her back with a smile so bright, whys she so happy? She looks up at Sokka and then back down at Katara.

"Are you going to cry?" Toph sighs. "Do we need to get sparky over here?"

"Toph, just who is sparky?" Katara asks.

"It's Zuko."

Sokka takes her arm and helps her off the bar stool. "Let's go check out the view of the city from the balcony, take some selfies and things like that."

"I'm not in a selfie taking mood." She groans. Toph pushes her along rather roughly.

"Nonsense, you look gorgeous! Make sure to take a lot."

"Come on, just a a few." Sokka says. Katara sighs and let's him lead her through the crowd. She didn't this many people would come to an opera, or did they come to see her? She wouldn't know the difference in them. She can't even spot Situ in the 's then pushed further out into the balcony and when she turns around to tell at Sokka he isn't there. Instead she finds her father dressed in a black suite and bow tie.

He's holding a bundle of blue roses in his hands and he smiles softly at her. "You know, these are the same kind of flowers I bought your mother the night of her first debut. And you know what?" He walks over and hands them to her. "It's amazing how one sentimental gesture, one symbolic act of love and kindness and motivation, it works wonders. Kya loved to sing and dance, it was her life. And well, I'm just glad I got to be part of her path. I can't make you do what I want you to do, I can't push you down the road I want you to go on or pave your life for you. All I can do is support you and love you along the way."

"You mean… you saw me?" Her hands clutch the gold wrapping over the flowers.

"Katara don't cry."

"I can't not cry!" The water in her eyes finally spill over and fall heavily down her cheeks. She's ruining the makeup artists hard work but she doesn't care. "It's hard for me not to cry because you never came to an audition or a performance or a practice and now you show up here with these flowers and you've watched my show, what changed? What happened?"

Hakoda sighs and his smile spreads. "I watched every video, I've listened to every song. Sokka made me realize a lot the day he locked me in my office and made me take a listen at all of your stuff. Then I thought long and hard about you and your mother. I want you to follow your dream, no matter what happens no matter what anyone says. I'm sorry that I was the worst dad a girl could ever ask for." He places his hands on her bare shoulders. "I can understand if you don't forgive me-"

"-No! Of- Of course I forgive you! But when did Sokka... How did he even do that?"

"Well, he's very creative. You were absolutely amazing tonight." He wipes her watery face. "You've impressed me, and I know your mother was doing backflips in her pumps." He laughs but there as sadness in his eyes. The band begins to play classical music. It's something similar to the waltz.

She holds out her hand. "So, am I too old to dance with my father?"

"Of course not. It'll be the perfect chance for you to tell me all about this Zuko Agni."

**.0.**

"You know all the planning it took for us to get that man in his office and keep him locked in there?" Sokka watches his sister and father dance around the floor. He hasn't seen her this happy in a while. He pats Zuko on the back. "Thanks for the help kid."

"No problem, I figured it would really make her night.." A couple of days ago Zuko helped Sokka with operation Hakoda. "I didn't think it would go this well though."

"You? I thought it was going to backfire as soon as she saw him." Sokka laughs and grabs a champagne filled glass from a passing waitor. "You're a good kid."

Zuko raises an eyebrow. "We're nearly the same age Sokka."

"Yeah but, you're dating my sister so... Well basically if you break her heart I'm gonna break your neck. You're an only child?"

"No. If the spawn of Satan is classified under younger sibling then yes, I have a baby sister."

"Believe me, I understand completely. But, can't let anyone mess with them."

Yue catches Sokka by surprise when she latches onto his arm, grinning from ear to ear. She's wearing a long blue gown with an embellishment on the right shoulder. "Hey Zuko!"

"Yue." He nods back. Zuko declines their offer of him cutting in on Katara and her father. As a matter of fact he would rather watch her enjoying herself, she needed this. Much to his disdain Mai comes and blocks his view, a mirthful glint replaces the ever present coldness in her eyes. He's forgotten how much she enjoys opera, but he never thought she would be here. When he first saw her down the front row he thought he was only seeing things.

"She's amazing isn't she?" Situ says as soon as he steps besides him. Zuko glares out the corner of his eye but ignores him. "I'm talking about Katara, not that other woman. She's bad for business."

"Well Katara is amazing. That's why I'm with her, in a relationship, if you didn't know."

"Oh, that's what you call that? I got you." Situ breathes in. "So you guys are fine?"

"We're perfect. What are you playing at Situ?"

"Nothing. I just thought you should know that one of them is pregnant."

"What? Katara isn't pregnant." Zuko states almost in a whisper. "If she was she would've told me, not that that's any of you concern."

Situ drinks down his champagne. "Yeah, It's kind of hard for you to think of which ones pregnant isn't it? You should know, after all you did lay a seed when you two last fought." He adjusts his tie and jacket.

"How did you… ?" His eyes widen and he almost blanches back to a month ago. Zuko quickly regains his composure. "You stay away from Katara. If you so much as speak a-"

"- I'm her manager, we're going to be together. Don't worry, I don't want to hurt Katara all. I'm not romantically or list fully interested in her. All I'm saying is that you need to be careful. She's my client, which means my paychecks all depend on her. Now if she finds out about your little rendezvous and goes into that little reckless state again and miss shows, that means I won't be getting paid. But Now you're telling me you don't want me in the same proximity as her?"

"Exactly, I don't want you near her." Zuko takes a step closer.

Situ frowns as he walks away, mouthing the words 'watch me'. He walks into the crowd of dancing bodies and cuts in on Katara and Hakoda.

Fuck.

**.0.**

"But Zuko-"

"-No."

"You don't even know what I'm about to say!"

"Yes I do, and the answer is no." He stops walking and looks back at her. She's smiling shyly despite her dramatically so called desperate situation. They're on the walk leaving city park, it's pretty late but Zuko took her to see the shooting stars out by the pond after they had dinner at an Italian restaurant. They've been together all day since eight this morning when she came to his office.

"But I want it." She holds it closer to her chest. Zuko sighs and shrugs into his coat more. He scowls down at the little brown eyed golden and white haired puppy in her arms. He's dirty and he probably smells too. Katara found him scavenging for food by the trash cans. She called him and he went running to her, then she fed him a burger she got out of her bag. Why it was even in her bag Zuko doesn't know.

"I'm not putting that in my car." Zuko says sternly. "It's dirty, it stinks, there's no telling what all diseases it has!"

"But he's hungry, he's tired, he's alone in this world with no one else. There's no telling where his parents are. We can't just leave him on the streets, he's too young he won't make it out here!"

"We aren't talking about a child here. Leave the dog, get in the car Katara." Zuko unlocks the doors to his black Audi R8. He holds the passenger door open for her and waits expectantly. She stops a few feet away. "Look how he's dirtying up your sweater, that's your favorite one. The stains probably won't even come out, then you're going to be mad."

She looks down at her cream colored sweater that has dirt marks and mud on it and shrugs. "I don't care. I'm taking him and bringing him home with me."

"He's not getting in my car."

"Then I'm not getting in your car. I'm staying right here." She sits down on the curb of the street.

"Katara, just leave the mutt. It's forty degrees out here, it's past twelve and I have work in the morning." He says annoyed. "Let's go."

"No. He's not a mutt! He's a... He's an Australian husky and his name is Toby."

"Katara let's go."

"Can Toby come?"

"No the mutt can't come!"

"Well I'm staying right here until Sokka comes and gets me."

"It'll take Sokka two hours to get here. Just get in the car, please?"

"If Toby can't come I'm not getting in." She says defiantly. "Why don't you like him? Look at this face!" She holds the mutt up for him to see. Zuko resists the urge to roll his eyes. The mutt, Toby, wags his tail and looks at him with big brown eyes. His tongue hangs out his mouth and he's panting gleefully.

"Please?" She asks. Her voice is filled with longing and sadness, blue eyes shimmering in the streetlights like she's about to cry. Zuko sighs and kicks the streetlight.

"Alright, fine. Just… just make sure he doesn't get on the seats." As soon as the words leave his mouth she jumps up and wraps an arm around his neck to hug him, he pulls her in, forgetting about the mutt in her arms. When he pulls away he isn't as dirty since he's wearing a black t shirt under his varsity jacket.

"Thank you, even though I knew you wouldn't leave me out here like that." She laughs when she gets into the car. Zuko glances at Toby grudgingly as he starts the car and pulls off.

"If I was the same person who I was before I would have."

"You're not that person anymore."

"Oh?"

"You aren't. If you were that womanizing, spoiled, out of control, partying teenage punk that Ursa told me oh so much about i don't think we would've gotten along very well."

Zuko looks at her and then back at the road. "When did she tell you that?"

"The night we had dinner after we left the book club. Fifty Shades of Grey is a great read, well, the first two books. I didn't like it when Anastasia got pregnant. I think it put a real damper in the plot, they didn't go through enough in their relationship and she just married him like that." She snaps her fingers.

"Well didn't she love him?"

"That's the author made it out to be but I just think that it was rushed, mostly physical and sexual attraction."

"What's wrong with physical attraction?"

"It started out as physical attraction between us and now look where we are." She grunts. "It's too late to turn back now."

It's quiet now. Zuko clears his throat to break the silence. "You make it sound like you're pregnant or something." She doesn't reply. She just continues to look out the window. The more she's silent the more Zuko begins to wonder. "Are you, katara?"

"Honestly Zuko I don't know."

"How late are you?"

"Really late."

"You didn't take a test?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to!" She rolls her eyes and leans back in the white seats. "I don't want to take the test. I don't want to be pregnant."

"Take the test and find out." He tells her. He can't stop his heart from skipping beats. He's always wanted to be a father, he's always wanted to have a houseful of children. "Maybe if I'm lucky it will a set of twins."

Katara doesn't say anything. She's quiet the rest of the ride and doesn't even invite him in when they make it to her house she doesn't invite him in when he walks her to the door.

"I'll take a test tonight. I'll… I'll call you in the morning alright?" Zuko nods and she kisses his cheek. "Goodnight Zuko."

"Goodnight."

He stays until she's inside safely to get back into his car to fix the biggest mistake or his life.

**.0.**

Katara smiles as she scoops a clean Toby up in her arms. It's nearly three In the morning but she refuses to go to sleep until she receives the results of the pregnancy rest. It lays on the counter in her bathroom and any minute now it will be determining her future.

"This is you." Katara holds Toby out so he can look at himself in the mirror. "Do you see? Your name is Toby." She turns him to face her. "You're stuck with me now baby, we're in this for the long haul. Later we'll go and get you some clothes and food. I have to work tonight so you'll be staying with uncle Sokka and aunt Yue." Toby cocks his head to the side and pants. He's been all over the house, sniffing and scavenging. He's pretty much made himself at home. She thinks she's crazy because she's talking to a dog, who doesn't talk to their pets though?

The timer on her phone beeps. The results should be in now. She picks up the stick and her eyebrows raise. She exhales a breath of relief when the test comes out negative.

**.0.**

**Song Used: Beyonce - Listen **

**Well, Katara isn't the one whose pregnant.**

**So. That means that…**

**Anyway, read and review.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Story Title:** I Won't Give Up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary: :After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Seventeen**

"What the hell?" She blurts when Zuko bursts into her home. He slams the door loudly behind him and grabs her up by the front of her robe. "What's wrong with you? Are you crazy? I know you're not coming to speak about that big business deal Monday with my father."

"Are you pregnant?" He asks through clenched teeth and narrowed eyes. When she doesn't answer he shakes her violently. "Well? What is it Mai?"

"Yes, it's true." She rasps out when his fingers press into her neck. "It's true, it's true!" He throws her back down onto the sofa. "Wonder what your little girlfriends going to say now. I'll bet my entire inheritance that she's going to haul ass, that's after her brother and the avatar deal with you."

Zuko paces. What has he done? "It's probably not even mine. You never were too loyal to anyone."

"Ha!" Mai throws her head back and pours bourbon into a glass on the coffee table. She laughs again, she's drunk. He curses loudly.

"You think this is funny?" He shouts. "You really think that this is funny?"

"It's hilarious. You know, maybe we should tell her. I'm sure she'll be delighted to know that you got another woman pregnant." She throws her drink back and shivers. "Yes in deed."

"No, that baby isn't mine." He states, rushing over to her. "It can't be mine."

"What makes you think that? You're the only person I've slept with Zuko, even if you were just mad at her about Jet you still do it. It's no turning back now."

"You're lying, Mai."

"What do I have to lie for Zuko?" She looks at him in confusion. "I don't want your money, I'm already an heiress. I don't want a cute PR photo on the Daily gazette. It's your fault, you came to me. And you know why?"

"Why? Please enlighten me." He says sarcastically. He reaches into his jacket pocket when he feels his phone vibrating. He feels guilt building in his chest when he sees the photo of him and Katara on the screen, she said she'd tell him what the test said but right now he can't talk to her.

"She doesn't know you're here does she? Jesus, you've really messed up big time." Mai says with a smirk playing on her lips.

"Shut up Mai."

"I wouldn't be too mean if I were you, Agni Corporations needs my fathers alliance and all… it's not my fault you messed up and got me pregnant. But, you better be nice to me before I call everything off Zuko."

"I haven't messed up anything, because she isn't going to find out. As of now, I'm not claiming it as mine. I have nine months to know for sure. And you wouldn't cut that deal off yours too money hungry and self absorbed."

"Oh?" Mai stands and strides over to him. "Can she even have children Zuko? Can she even carry a child full term? I've heard through the wind that she doesn't even want children. You've always said how you wanted a big family." Her hands go up on her hips, she thinks she's won.

"You listen to ms and you listen up good." For every step Zuko takes towards Mai she takes two more back. "That night was the biggest mistake of my life." He turns and heads towards the front door.

"Then what was your first?" Mai asks when Zuko's hand is on the doorknob.

"Meeting you." He walks out and slams the door behind him.

**.0.**

"The third annual charity banquet." Katara read the little red letter with golden writing. "Are we going?"

He looks up at her from his stack of paperwork. She's wearing a loose burgundy sweater with blue jeans that are tucked into her flat boots. She's smiling at him brightly, he remembers back when all her smiles to her were phony and forced. They've made so much progress with each other the past few months. It took so much to get her, he doesn't know what he'll do without her.

"Of course, though I actually have to go. Ursa would have a fit if we didn't."

"A masquerade banquet at that. Sounds fun."

Zuko doesn't say anything.

Katara goes over to him and sits in his lap. "What's wrong? You've been brooding around here all day." She falls into his lap. "Is this about that me not being pregnant?"

"It's not that." He shakes his head.

"Then what is it?"

"I did something bad."

"To who?"

"Somewhere very important to me.

She covers his hand with hers. " everyone makes mistakes Zuko, we're human. I'm sure they'll get over it. What did you do?"

"I made them a promise, said I was going to to something and I didn't do it. They put their trust in me." Hr hopes that doesn't catch on, she doesn't look like she knows anything what he just told her was the truth.

"Oh. I've done that before too. It made me feel terrible afterwards." She plays his tie.

"You think they'll forgive me?"

"They can't hate you and be mad at you forever. Just give it some time." She takes a slip of paper from the pile. "Why do you bring your work home?"

"Because I always need to stay on top of these things. Some cases require more work than others."

"Zuko," she puts the paper down and drinks from her coffee. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" He looks at her.

"You know what you did. You hacked into my bank account." She says sharply. "Sokka helped you do that didn't he? Didn't he? All my bills have been put on auto pay every month now. Why'd you do that?"

"Okay, first let's lay off the coffee." He takes the mug from her hand. "Secondly, Sokka did help me but it was for you. Thirdly, your bills are much more than you make."

"Do you not know that that's an invasion of privacy? I didn't need a fifteen thousand dollar allowance from my boyfriend."

"You were going to need help but you were going to be too stubborn to admit it to me. Then you were going to try and hide it when something got disconnected."

"Take it back."

"What? No, it's yours. What type of man would I be if I let you struggle financially Katara?"

"Let's not play that card tonight. Tomorrow morning I'm taking it out and giving it back to you." She gets off him and disappears into his bedroom. When she comes back she has her notebook and pen in hand.

"Keep it Katara."

She ignores him as she pushes the sofa over to the floor to ceiling window. Zuko wonders how she did that, it's too heavy for him to even push. "No, I don't want it." She gets comfortable on the sofa, laid on her stomach on the soft cushions with her pen positioned on the paper.

"Just take it. Why can't you ever accept help?"

"Probably because no ones ever handed me over that much of money."

"But you took a million or a half a million from Jet."

"That a different story Zuko." She rolls her eyes.

"You may wipe me clean if you leave me."

She laughs. "Well that depends, but you'll just end up getting it all back anyway."

"Yeah, you're right."

"I know."

**.0.**

Katara though that today would be an amazing time to visit the person who educated Zuko about blood bending. She found out from Ming, Zuko's secretary. The woman spills her guts when she gets a few drinks in her, she's such a lightweight.

"You're the last person I expected to see here." Mai says with pursed lips. "I guess you don't want a publicity photo with my father."

Katara says nothing. She only walks around the makeup room and looks at different objects. She picks up a framed photo of her and Zuko, she frowns at it before slamming it down.

"What do you think you were doing by telling Zuko about the blood bending?" She asks sharply. "Are you trying to turn him against me or something?"

"I wasn't trying to do anything. As a matter of fact I don't have to do anything this time. Everything will fall into place perfectly." Mai snaps down her compact mascara and smirks at her through the lighted mirror. "He has to know what he's getting into you know, I would want to know if it were me."

"So you're digging up dirt on my past?"

"Exactly."

Katara's eyebrows rise. She sits on a stool at the mini bar in the room and pours herself a cup of bourbon. "Well, since you've went digging in my past you should've known that when it comes down to my respect and privacy, my family and my boyfriend, I don't cut any corners." She drinks it all down in one gulp. "Stay away from Zuko."

Mai rolls her eyes. "Or what?"

"Or I'll kill you myself. You and I both know that I'm more than capable of doing that. Staying away from him can save your life." She cracks her knuckles and heads towards the door.

"Oh, it's not me that can't stay away from him. He can't stay away from me. That's why when you two had your little fight about Jet, that's why we're in the pickle now. Never thought I'd be a mother so young."

Mai's head is smashed against the glass of the mirror, shards of all shapes and sizes come tumbling down. Katara's grip on her hair tightens before she pulls back and slings the other woman to the yanks her up by her hair and throws her into another wall. She hasn't been this mad in a long time, she's forgotten how good it feels to release all of her pent up anger and frustration.

"What pickle are you talking about?" Katara stoops down in front of Mai. She's bleeding from her head and her lip is split in the middle. She's breathing heavily from Katara's assault. "You really wanna do this the hard way? Do I have to start breaking some limbs?"

"I'm pregnant!" Mai says. "I'm pregnant, there. That's the pickle, now suck on it."

A slap echoes through the room.

Katara glares down at her intensely as she rubs her sore hand. She cracks her knuckles. "So? Me and Zuko have nothing to do with you being pregnant for God knows who."

"He has more to do with it then you think."

"Is that so?"

"It's his baby. Zuko is the father of my child, he's the only one I've slept with." Mai confesses. She readies herself for another attack but it don't come. Instead of hitting her again Katara stands up and stares down at her blankly.

"I think it's so honorable that you tail the truth. I'm a blood bender, I can tell when someone's lying. Or maybe you're just a very good liar." Katara contemplates. "Did you sleep with Zuko even though you knew he and I are in a relationship?"

"Yes, it's the truth. I have no reason to lie to you." Mai trembles.

"Well, you slept with my boyfriend." She sticks her hands into her pockets. "The last girl that slept with my boyfriend, I beat her half to death. She still hasn't recovered and that was years ago. I won't beat you Mai."

"Good." She replies as she stands up with the help of the sofa.

"But I will teach you about fucking with what's mine." She says darkly as she tacklers the woman to the floor.

**.0.**

_Come on skinny love just last the year,_

_Pour a little salt we were never here,_

_My my my, my my my, my-my my-my..._

_Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer._

_Tell my love to wreck it all,_

_Cut out all the ropes and let me fall,_

_My my my, my my my, my-my my-my..._

_Right in the moment this order's tall._

_And I told you to be patient,_

_And I told you to be fine,_

_And I told you to be balanced,_

_And I told you to be kind,_

_And in the morning I'll be with you,_

_But it will be a different kind,_

_'Cause I'll be holding all the tickets,_

_And you'll be owning all the fines._

_Come on skinny love, what happened here?_

_Suckle on the hope in light brassieres,_

_My my my, my my my, my-my my-my..._

_Sullen load is full, so slow on the split._

_And I told you to be patient,_

_And I told you to be fine,_

_And I told you to be balanced,_

_And I told you to be kind,_

_And now all your love is wasted,_

_Then who the hell was I?_

_'Cause now I'm breaking at the britches,_

_And at the end of all your lines._

_Who will love you?_

_Who will fight?_

_And who will fall far behind?_

_Come on skinny love,_

_My my my, my my my, my-my my-my..._

_My my my, my my my, my-my my-my._

"Let's keep it rolling. You finish one as soon as you're done go onto the next one let's go!" Situ instructs through the mic behind the glass. "Good work Katara." She chugs down her drink and continues working onto the next song. Her fingers strum along the keys as the rest of the band play along with her.

_"Dead In The Water"_

_If I was not myself_

_And you were someone else_

_I'd say so much to you_

_And I would tell the truth_

_'Cause I can hardly breathe_

_When your hands let go of me_

_The ice is thinning out_

_And my feet brace themselves_

_I'm there in the water_

_Still looking for ya_

_I'm there in the water_

_Can't you see, can't you see?_

_You've seen this all before_

_Life left on the shore_

_We're smiling all the same_

_You sail away again_

_I'm there in the water_

_Still looking for ya_

_I'm there in the water_

_Can't you see, can't you see?_

_Oh yeah_

_I'm dead in the water_

_Still looking for ya_

_I'm dead in the water_

_Can't you see, can't you see?_

_I'm dead in the water_

_Still looking for ya_

_I'm dead in the water_

_Can't you see, can't you see?_

_I can hold my breath_

_I can bite my tongue_

_I can stay awake for days_

_If that's what you want_

_Be your number one_

_I can fake a smile_

_I can force a laugh_

_I can dance and play the part_

_If that's what you ask_

_Give you all I am_

_I can do it_

_I can do it_

_I can do it_

_But I'm only human_

_And I bleed when I fall down_

_I'm only human_

_And I crash and I break down_

_Your words in my head, knives in my heart_

_You build me up and then I fall apart_

_'Cause I'm only human_

_I can turn it on_

_Be a good machine_

_I can hold the weight of worlds_

_If that's what you need_

_Be your everything_

_I can do it_

_I can do it_

_I'll get through it_

_But I'm only human_

_And I bleed when I fall down_

_I'm only human_

_And I crash and I break down_

_Your words in my head, knives in my heart_

_You build me up and then I fall apart_

_'Cause I'm only human_

_I'm only human_

_I'm only human_

_Just a little human_

_I can take so much_

_'Til I've had enough_

_'Cause I'm only human_

_And I bleed when I fall down_

_I'm only human_

_And I crash and I break down_

_Your words in my head, knives in my heart_

_You build me up and then I fall apart_

_'Cause I'm only human_

"Heaven knows." Katara announces. "I want to do Heaven Knows and I Miss the Misery. And I Will Never Forget You. I'm going to do those at my show." Situ comes into the recording both.

"Those are rock based songs." He leans on the piano. "You can't handle those songs and- that's enough!" He takes the bourbon away from her hands.

"I wrote them. Of course I can handle them. I'm going to perform them Saturday night." She has her first self entitled show at the stadium in three says. She has to perfect these songs. She's blocked out her actions from earlier using alcohol. She doesn't have time to think about Mai, nor Zuko. She'll handle that later.

"I can do this." She insists.

"Alright." Situ finally agrees after moments of staring at her intently. "Alright, do those after the first track. Let's start with track one from the top." Katara only nods and He hands her back her drink and microphone and headphones before heading out. He stares at her through the glass with doubt and leans back in his chair. Halfway through Situ cuts the music.

"Fuck you Situ. If you want it sung right why don't you come and do it yourself?" She shouts through the glass. Situ presses the button to reply back.

"I should've known you couldn't pull that song off. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you're not woman enough for that song Katara. You don't know anything love, you don't know about a guy leaving you for someone else or leaving you on the alter."

"I know about love. I know about being cheating on!" She retorts. "I know more than you can imagine!"

"Then show me. Sing it, push it out! If you know so much about heartbreak by all means let me heart it Katara!" He releases the button and the music starts again.

_[Verse 1:]_

_Please someone tell me I'm dreaming_

_Eyes open wide in the dead of the night (oh no)_

_Found something I could believe in_

_Oh after awhile, you let me down_

_But now that you're gone, I'm so lost_

_And I never wanna love again (hmmmmm)_

_[Chorus:]_

_They say that all wounds heal over time_

_But why does it feel like I could die_

_Bury my heart [x3]_

_So I won't hurt again_

_[Verse 2:]_

_Oh, feels like I'm out at sea & I'm sinking_

_Crying for help but I'm by myself_

_Uh huh, I wish I could shake off this feeling_

_Doing my best but it's time like this_

_When I'm alone, I wanna pick up that phone_

_Say I, and say that I never wanna love you again_

_Ohhhhh_

_[Chorus]_

_Never even shed a tear or showed an ounce of regret_

_People say I should forgive but that's easier said than done_

_When you wake up inside of an empty room_

_And you know it was once filled with love_

_How the hell am I supposed to get over it_

_When I know that I loved you this much_

_[Chorus]_

_Bury my heart [x3]_

_So I won't hurt again_

By the time she's done the years she's been working so hard to hold in are streaming down her face. She curses herself, she'd rather be mad as hell than sad and crying.

"Let's take a break Katara." Comes Situ's voice through the speakers. She wipes her eyes and grabs her jacket and exits the building. Situ takes her silent advice and doesn't follow her, she doesn't want to talk to anyone right now. Her keys jingle in her jacket pocket as she runs to catch a elevator. As soon as it lands in the lobby she walks out to the building to her car. Is blistering cold and dark outside at seven pm. Any other time she would love the cold, not now. She wants to get warm. She gets in her car and turns on the engine, she sighs as the heat fans her face.

Her passenger door opens and none other than Zuko gets into her passenger seat. He looks mad, she guesses that he's found out about what she did to Mai. She doesn't care. But where does that put Katara and Zuko now?

"What did you do?" Zuko asks. She doesn't look at him. She keeps her eyes trained on the minivan that's parked in front of her. "Hey!" He tries to turn her head by her chin by she slaps his hand away from her.

"What do you mean what did I do? I taught her a lesson!"

"A lesson? A lesson for what?"

"For sleeping with my boyfriend!" She blurts out. Zuko's face relaxes. He puts his head in his hands and leans back on the leather seat. He isn't saying anything so Katara knows that it's true. "She told me what you did! She told me everything!"

"I didn't… I didn't want you to find out like that Katara. I'm sorry-"

A slap echoes in the air. Zuko grasps his cut and bleeding cheek. Katara's breathing quickens and she glares at him. When she looks at him she sees another Jet. She doesn't need another Jet in her life.

"How could you Zuko? I opened up to you. I told you things that I've never told anyone else. I even…" she shakes her head. "I thought you were different."

He reaches out to her. "Katara-"

"-Just leave me alone." She slaps him away and puts the car in drive. "I don't ever… I can't- just leave mf alone." The more he stays that's the more her heart breaks into a million tiny pieces. He cheated on her with Mai and then he got her pregnant.

Mai is pregnant for the man that she loves.

"Katara-"

"-Just get out!" She shouts. She doesn't want to take in his troubled and heartbroken stare. After a minute or two he gets out, she speeds off into the traffic and leaves him on the sidewalk. She's going at least thirty miles over the speed limit, driving drunk at that but she doesn't care. She wants to get as far away from this place as possible.

Confused, hurt, upset, angry and beaten emotionally wipes her eyes on the sleeves of her jacket. Why? Why? That's all that can run through her mind. Just envisioning those two together makes her hurt even more. She puts both hands on the wheel and opens her eyes.

They widen at the sight in front of her.

She tries to turn the wheel and move out of the way but it's too late. She crashes head on into the big truck, the windshield shatters and a sharp pain in her abdomen and chest make her cry out in agony. As she's bleeding out tremendously slumped over in the passengers seat Katara can feel her heartbeat getting slower and slower. In the distance she can hear someone calling for help, then everything goes black and she doesn't feel or hear anything.

**.0.**

**I hated this chapter. *Rolls eyes.* I don't think it was good enough.**

**Read and Review**

**Songs used: Birdy: skinny love**

**Ellie doubling: dead in the water**

**Christina perri: human**

**K. Michelle: bury my heart**


	18. Chapter 18

**Story Title:** I Won't Give Up

**Author:**XxToToXc

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**(A:N) If you don't like how I describe my characters in my stories DO NOT READ. If you don't like their personalities or what they do, what they wear and their body types DONT READ IT THEN! I don't MAKE people read my stories. If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all. I will make Katara be the way that I want her to be and if you don't like it then that's your problem. These are my fanfics and I do them however I want to. If you don't like her being Persian or having tattoos or whatever then DONT READ IT. Other than that, I Presley appreciate my readers.**

**Eighteen **

The first thing she sees when she wakes up is a white ceiling. She turns her head to see that she's got an IV in her arm. She tries to sit up only to be laid back down by gentle hands.

"No, don't you go moving now. You've lost a lot of blood." The nurse states. She gently pushes her onto her side Katara winces in pain and closes her eyes when she feels the coolness of water. "You have a nasty gash on your side, a few scrapes and bruises too. Don't worry, I'm healing you just fine. You'll be out of here by tonight."

"What happened?" Katara asks.

"You had a bad wreck. Your car was totaled and you were barely clinging to life when EMS pulled you out." The nurse tucks her brown hair behind her ear. She lays Katara back down on her back and covers her with the white sheet. "Your family is here, and your boyfriend. He's cute, you're a lucky woman. Here, I'll help you sit up."

"Would you like for your family to come in now?"

"Yes, please."

The nurse picks up her clipboard and flips a few pages. "Okay, we have a Hakoda, a Sokka, Zuko, Yue, Situ-"

"I want to see everyone except for Zuko Agni."

The nurse blinks. "Okay, I'll bring in Hakoda and Sokka first."

"That's fine, Thank you."

The woman leaves and a few seconds later in comes her father and brother.

"Hey kid." Her father kisses her forehead. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, the nurse said that I'll be out of here in a little while. I just have some scrapes and brushes, and look-" she raises up her blood stained sweater to show them the gash on her side. "That is not pretty at all."

"Ah man, cover that up." Sokka covers his eyes. "I'm glad you're still alive sis, but can you please cover that up? It's disgusting!"

"Sokka, can you not?" She pulls her shirt back down. Out in the hallway she can hear Zuko arguing with the nurse. He wants to come in but she won't let him. Great, now everything that happened is flooding back to her mind. Fighting Mai, finding out the truth about her and Zuko, getting drunk to forget at rehearsal, confronting Zuko, the car wreck. She blinks away the tears from her eyes and tries to muster up a facade. She doesn't want them to know about this. It hurts, but she's used to it. Deep down she knows that she can't run from this forever.

"Please don't tell me that you were driving drunk." Hakoda frowns. Sokka uncovers his eyes.

"Okay, I won't." She shrugs.

"Katara! We've had this discussion, you could've killed yourself!" Hakoda scolds. "You have to be careful."

Sokka sits on her bed and wraps an arm around her. "She's strong, she's a tough brat to kill. Seriously Katara, are you okay? You don't look too good."

Leave it to Sokka to see right through her. "I'm okay Sokka. I'm just tired. I want to go home and go to sleep."

"I'll bring in Zuko. He can take my time for now. He's been on edge the entire time." Hakoda is out of the room before she can object. Zuko steps in the room and Sokka gets up and pats Zuko on the back.

Since when did they become buddies? She frowns at Sokka's back. Now it's just her and Zuko in the room. He goes and sits in the chair besides her bed.

"I lone that I owe you an explanation." He starts.

"I already know what happened. You got mad at me because of Jet so you fucked Mai and now the bitch is pregnant. You don't have to say anything. The look on your face shows me enough."

"No, you need to learn the whole story. Besides, there's no telling who that baby is for. I know you're mad but you need to hear this. After i left-"

"- I love you." She turns to him with tears streaming down her face. "Did you know that? I love you Zuko. I love you even though I never meant to fall for you like this. I believed in you, you gave me hope and security. I gave you the little bit of trust I had left. The funny thing is, you can't break something that's already broken. I can't be mad, it hurts so bad that all I can do is cry."

"Katara." He reaches for her hand but she moves it. "You need to hear me out it's not what-"

"- You slept with her?" She asks. "Did you really sleep with her?"

"I won't sit here and lie and say that I didn't. It was just one time, but believe me when I say that that baby is not mine Katara. It can't be." Zuko stands and takes her hands tightly in his. "I made a mistake. I know that, I know you hate me, I know."

"I can't hate you Zuko." She snatches her hands away. "I just… I don't want to do this anymore. It doesn't matter if the baby's yours or not. You still slept with her, I wouldn't have ever done you that."

He frowns. It's a while before he says anything else. "I know you wouldn't have. I'm sorry. You have to listen to me, ask the barkeep at the club, she must've dr-"

"Can we not talk about this now? Just leave, please." She turns her back to him. He doesn't at all. She knows that he's going to stay until she talks to him. She doesn't know what else to say.

"Katara!" Yue bursts through the doors. Her eyes dart from Katara to Zuko. "Can we have a minute?"

"Sure." Zuko says without taking his eyes off of Katara. He leaves out the room and closes the door behind him.

"Judging from the tension between your hot boyfriend and your super hot manager my best friend radar is telling me that something went down between you three." Yue rushes and sits beside her on the bed. "You're so lucky that your face is still intact."

"Nothing happened between us." Katara gets off the bed and goes into the bathroom. Just as she's closing the door Yue's booted foot stops her. "Yue I'm trying to use the bathroom, can I have some privacy?"

"You can pee and spill at the same time. I'm glad you're okay and all but you've got two problems out there and Sokka has had a pretty rough time keeping those two problems apart!" She states.

"What do you mean?"

"Situ and Zuko both have a problem, come on, even Toph can see that and the problem is you. Zuko didn't want Situ here at all, and Situ pointed out Zuko to be the bad guy. Now, what's this big secret going around that I don't know? I usually know everything, it's rare that I don't know what's going on with my friends."

"Why didn't Sokka tell me that?"

"Because you're already banged up and out of it. I just want to get to bottom of it. I have my mace and pepper spray, plus my bat is in the trunk of my car. Now, whose ass do I need to kick first?"

This is Yue. Her half neurotic, hyper, bubbly, caring, sweet and fashionable best friend. Besides Toph Yue is the female that she can talk to about anything. So when Katara tells her everything that happened her eyes go as wide as saucers and her mouth drops. She puts an arm around Katara's shoulders when she tears fall again.

"Just let it all out." She says softly. "I've ordered us some pizza and wings. Ju Lee is getting the den ready at my house for our E.G.N and Toph is on her way."

E.G.N means Emergency Girls Night. They've had quite a few over the years. They would stay up all night and watch sappy romance movies, eat their hearts out and talk about their boyfriend problems. No phones are allowed, no iPods, no computers, just food, counseling and Tv.

"And you've done all this in like five minutes?"

"Of course, I've had a lot of practice." Yue smiles. "Come on, you can stay with us for a few days. It'll be fun, just like our high school and middle school days."

There's a knock on the door and Situ peeps his head in. "I hate to cut in. The nurse says it's my turn."

Yue leans and whispers to her. "Do you want to see boy toy number two? I can always kick-"

"-It's fine, and he's not my boy toy!"

Yue rolls her eyes and leaves out the room, looking Situ up and down as she goes.

"How do you feel?" Situ leans on the wall by the window and looks her over.

"Fine right now, they gave me some painkillers. They'll give me some more to take home along with with antibiotics and muscle relaxers."

"Yeah, I'm not talking about the wreck Katara." He stands up straight. "I'm talking about before the wreck."

"Nothing happened before the wreck Situ. I came to rehearsal just like I was supposed to and we laid down some tracks." She shrugs. The nurse comes in with some discharge papers for Katara to sign and she checks her side again before handing over the prescriptions and leaving out the room.

"Every time you lie the dimple in your right cheek appears out of nowhere and you can't look me in the eyes."

Katara looks up. How did he know that?

"Your boyfriend left with his mother, whatever it was it looked important. She's a nice lady by the way but she didn't look too happy." He sighs. "Don't worry, I won't pry into your personal life."

"Ursa came? Why didn't she come in?"

"Because she was too busy practically manhandling her son." He gets her coat and wallet off the nightstand and places them on her lap. "You know a lot about this medical junk. Probably should've been a doctor."

He helps her off the bed to put on her jacket. "That's not what I wanted to do in life."

"Yeah, I didn't want that either." He says before holding the door open for her.

**.0.**

"When I first met Zuko I thought he was crazy. He damn near killed himself to come and talk to me. I didn't like him, I thought he was just some jerky, womanizing, spoiled jock who just wanted me for my hot pocket." Katara throws her drink back. Five days ago she didn't even want to get off of Yue's couch. Now they're in a bar having heart to heart convos.

Yue pours more vodka into her shot glass. "Hot pocket? Couldn't he buy his own hot pocket?"

"By hot pocket I'm saying that he only wanted my vagina. But then, as time went on and on I began to fall for him. I tried to say away from because I was scared, but he fought me. He fought to show me that he was different. I wanted I talk to him every day, I liked being around him, I liked hugging him and kissing him. He cared for me, always checked on me. He was there for me, made me laugh and cry at the same time. He helped me even though I was being stubborn when I know I needed help. He protected me and stood up for me, was the perfect gentlemen."

"And his family?"

"His mother is amazing. She's full of life, so nice and loving, just like my mom was. His sister, I don't think she liked me too much. She's Mai's best friend but Ty Lee just seems a little dizzy. His fathers so disciplined but I can tell he only has his family's best interest at heart. Lu Ten is just like the little brother I never had. Uncle Iroh is so happy and jolly, they welcomed me with open arms."

"Well that's good." Yue smiles and nods.

"Look." Katara reaches into her pocket and pulls up her jacket sleeve to reveal a golden link bracelet. It shimmers and shines in the bright lighting of the bar. There's one charm on there. It's the small golden mold of a woman a royal blue dress seated at a golden piano with black and white keys. The craftsmanship of the charm is impeccable.

"Zuko gave me this a couple of weeks ago on a boat ride to Ba Sing Se. His dad was so mad about him skipping out a on luncheon with some guy. He put it in a cupcake, I almost chipped a tooth. Yue I didn't mean to fall for Zuko the way I did. I know I said that I wasn't ready for a relationship but I sure as hell was ready for Zuko. Every time I think about him I get happy and excited. That's my safe haven. I have no worries when I'm with him. I love him Yue, I love him a lot. But he cheated on me, he got her pregnant."

"Okay, wait! Just wait." Yue holds up a hand. "So Mai said that Zuko came to her the same night that you told Jet you wouldn't stop loving him?"

"That's right. Why?"

"The last time I checked it take a month or whatever for an egg to fertilize, I don't know how that crap goes Katara. Honestly, I failed biology and anatomy. Please correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds to me like she's lying. Jet left two weeks ago, how can she get pregnant in two weeks?"

Katara's head shoots up. "You're right. You're absolutely right."

"Zuko cheated on you, okay. But he did not get her pregnant. We're about to get to the bottom of this right now." Yue pulls out her phone and types away with one finger in it.

"What are you talking about?"

"Aha." She holds up for phone for Katara to see the screen. It's a picture of a gynecologist along with the woman's business location. "She goes to a gynecologist not too far the opera hall. I remember her saying on television that that's her personal doctor at a health seminar. Let's go, we're going to get Mai's medical records." Yue stands and throws on her jacket. "So it's a good possibility that she went to her about a pregnancy, hell, she may not even be pregnant."

"No she's pregnant, I sensed the baby's heartbeat. They're closed Yue. Even If they were open they wouldn't give us her business. What difference does it make? He still slept wit her either way it goes." Katara says sullenly. "It's whatever. Just let me drown my sorrows in alcohol."

"Katara, as your bestfriend, I'm going to give you my honest opinion. I do not think Zuko slept with her, well, not on purpose. You guys have had fights worse than this and nothing happened. There has to be more to it than that. Secondly I don't think he got her pregnant either. There are blank spots Katara, things just aren't adding up."

"Why do you care so much?" Katara swirls her finger around in her drink. "You shouldn't be wasting your time with me anyway, you've got your own relationship and wedding and stuff. You and Sokka are perfect."

The eager look on Yue's face falls and her expression is unreadable. "No relationship is perfect. Sokka and I are far from perfect…I've been cheated on too."

"No…" Katara searches Yue's eyes. "Menu didn't you ever tell me?"

"I just locked it away in the back of my mind. I didn't ever want to think about it after we broke up." She shrugs. "It was the time where I left to the North Pole, I told you I just needed a breather."

"I remember now. Was it… was it Suki?"

"Yes, it was her. I love your brother just like I know he loves me. He's a man, he realizes his mistake and I was a woman and I forgave him because I knew that he was sorry. I knew that he made the biggest mistake of his life and he would do anything to fix it. It took time, I lost a little bit of trust but look at us now. We're better than ever."

"How did you find out?"

"A woman always knows, it's a woman's intuition. Let me ask you this, do you really think that he slept with her on his own free will? Do you really think that he wants that woman, do you really think that she's pregnant for him?" She stares at her intently. "Before you answer that I want you to think long and hard Katara, answer with you heart but don't completely shut your brain out."

Katara closes her eyes and thinks. She thinks about her and Zuko since day one, she never meant to push him away. But in a way she's glad that she did. It showed her just how much he cared to stick by her and help her through her worst days. She was unsure of herself back then. He went above and beyond for her, and she knows that she's not just saying this because of the alcohol or Yue's influence. When she opens them again Yue is still in the same position. "No, I don't think that he did it on purpose. I don't think that she could be pregnant for him. It's just what my hearts telling me."

"Now that you have a semi sober mind you can think halfway clearly. I don't waste time with you, you're my best friend. We grew up together, we're sisters. I'm not going to run and hide when you need a shoulder to lean on. This guy loves you, he makes you happy, you love him and you make him happy. I could tell by the way he watched you at the opera. It was like you were the only ball of color in this mediocre, grey, bland world. He's a good guy, I like him. Sokka likes him your dad likes him, and even if my theory is proven wrong, I want you to make sure that you can live with whatever decision you make."

"Have I ever told you that you'll probably be able to sell a bible to the devil?" Katara chuckles as she wipes her watering eyes. "I want to find out for sure, I want to know if she's really pregnant for him."

The more Katara thinks about the situation the more she realizes what Yue is saying. There's no way that baby can possibly be for Zuko. But even if it isn't that doesn't change what he did. She feels hope spiral around in her chest, maybe it is maybe it's not. She doesn't really want to wait nine months to find out.

"Yue, we could go to jail for this."

"I know we could, but we aren't because we aren't going to get caught. Come on, let's go snoop and figure this out." Yue holds out her hand and waits for Katara to take it.

Katara takes her hand. "You're a good friend you know that?"

Yue smiles "yeah, I've been told."

**.0.**

"I cannot believe we're doing this!" Yue whispers harshly. "Maybe we should turn back."

"What? This was your idea! You're really trying to chicken out on me?" Katara uses her elbow to break the glass on the back door. She sticks her gloved hand through the hole and unlocks the door. It creaks opens little and they step in. It's pitch black in the lavish office. It's a good thing that they bought flashlights.

"The vodka gave me courage, that was then and this is now." Yue whispers as she follows Katara into a room.

"Too late to turn back, this is the office. Hit the lights."

Yue turns on the lights and looks around. There's nothing in the room but three black filing cabinets, certificates lined up on the wall, a desk, a semi sofa, and a tv on the brick wall. The floors are polished hardwood and the walls are pure white, as a matter of fact every piece of furniture is white.

"Well isn't she very dull and boring." Yue scoffs as she looks around with her hands on her hips. "She must not know what color is." Yue goes straight to the file cabinets and yanks the drawers open. She pauses and slaps her forehead. "Son of a bench!"

Katara pulls her phone from her pocket. There's three missed calls from Zuko, she hasn't spoken to him since the night at the hospital. She wants to call him back, she wants to hear his voice, but not now. She wants to find out for herself.

"Hey Houston, we got a problem." Yue motions her over. "What's her last name?"

"You don't know her last name?"

"No that's why I'm asking you!"

"Well to hell if I know!"

"Ugh! I think it was Fong or Won or something like that. Google her and see what comes up."

"It's Long, her last name is Long." Katara says after a minute. Yue digs and rustles through the files. She pulls out a red folder and flips through the pages.

"I found her! Mai Long age twenty six, five foot seven, one hundred and twelve pounds…" Yue's blue eyes widen. "Oh my God..."

"What is it?"

"She had breast implants, can you believe it?"

"Yue!"

"Okay!" She flips some more. "What's today's date?"

"It's October the sixth. Why?" Katara leans over her shoulder.

"It says here that she came in on August the seventeenth and the doctor said that she was three months pregnant at that time." Yue turns to Katara. "It isn't his."

"It isn't his? She was already pregnant before she and Zuko…" Katara swallows. "But there's still the possibility that-"

"-Three months ago her and her family left to some island. It was all over the news, so this isn't Zuko's baby it can't be."

"Zuko said that it was only one time that they did this. He was telling the truth." Katara's heart flutters in her chest. "He was telling the truth but he still slept with her."

"At least he's free of that baby charge. See? I knew this was a good idea!" Yue sticks the folder back into the drawer.

The door to the office slams open and two officers burst in. "Actually, this was a bad idea! Republic City Police Department, put your hands up and get down the on the ground!"

"Fuck!" Yue gasps and puts her hands in the air and gets down on her knees.

Katara sighs.

**.0.**

Hakoda paces the living room floor with his hands on his hips. "I cannot believe you too." He shakes his head. "Just what were you thinking?"

"Isn't this nostalgic? The Wonder Twins have have rekindled their powers, I thought we've been through this Yue." Arnook scolds. This isn't the first time she and Yue got in trouble together. It all started when they were thirteen and this bully cut Yue's hair and made her cry. Yue beat her up afterwards and Katara kind of set her hair on fire.

"It was for a really good reason." Yue objects from besides Katara on the couch. "Honest!"

"And just what was that?"

"It was all my idea, but it was to help Katara."

"It's my fault Arnook, I should've stopped it but I didn't. If there is anyone to be blame it's me." Katara clutches Toby tighter to her. "I'm sorry." At least now she knows that Zuko didn't get Mai pregnant, but it still hurts to know that he cheated on her.

"You already have assault and battery charges against you for attacking the governors daughter merely days ago. Just what possessed you two to break into a doctors office?"

"That's really Katara's business to tell you…" Yue side glances at her out the corner of her eye. "Sorry to cause you both so much trouble...again."

"You know it's nothing we can do to punish them Hakoda. They're grown women now." Arnook half whispers.

"We can cut them off." Hakoda suggests.

"What? No!" Yue jumps to her feet. "That's not fair!"

"Well I don't get an allowance so…" Katara trails off. After the emergency night at Yue's place Katara decided to move back into her families home for a little bit.

"Yue we'll talk about this in the morning. Let go, I'm sure your partner in crime and Hakoda have some things to discuss." Arnook says.

"Bye Katara. I'll text you." Yue hugs her before she and Her father are shown out of the house. Hakoda comes back and crosses his arms over his chest.

"It's two in the morning. I'm tired, I'm hungry, I need a shower and I'm emotionally disoriented." Katara stands with Toby in tow.

"So what happened?" He asks.

"What happened when?"

"You stayed at Yue's house for about a week, now you're here living off of me, you haven't been to your own house, you sleep damn near half the day and I've got your boyfriend calling to speak to you everyday."

"Ex boyfriend." She corrects. "Apparently he prefers his ex fiancé over me. I thought she was pregnant for him-"

"-That's why you fought her? Katara you've got to control your anger." Hakoda sighs. "Isn't she pregnant? You could've killed the baby and then that would've been a manslaughter case. That was pretty evil Katara."

"I know I took it too far and I'm sorry, but i was just so mad at her and… I thought she was pregnant for Zyko but it turns out that she's not. Can't take away the fact he slept with her."

"I don't think he could've done that."

"What makes you so sure?"

"He just doesn't seem like the type."

"Yeah, they never do." She leaves him and disappears up to her old room.

After showering she wraps a towel around her hair and another around her body. She searches for her hair dryer in her suitcase and pauses when her eyes catch onto something golden. She moves her jeans and scarves out the way to reveal a golden heart shaped locket. It's smooth to the touch with engravings on the outside. It's about the size of the palm of her hand and is pretty heavy. Zuko gave this to her one night at the beach. He just happened to find a seashell with this in it. The side of her lips twitch when she opens the locket. It's a picture of them at the fair one night. Her half smile fades when it begins to sing.

_This is my love song to you_

_Let every woman know I'm yours_

_So you can fall asleep each night, babe_

_And know I'm dreaming of you more_

_You're always hoping that we make it_

_You always want to keep my gaze_

_Well you're the only one I see_

_And that's the one thing that won't change_

_I'll never stop trying_

_I'll never stop watching as you leave_

_I'll never stop losing my breath_

_Every time I see you looking back at me_

_I'll never stop holding your hand_

_I'll never stop opening your door_

_I'll never stop choosing you babe_

_I'll never get used to you_

She closes it and clutches it in her hand. Zuko sung that song himself. When she first opened it she cried, no one ever gave her something so sentimental and special to her. She sits down on her bed and stares it, her mind is racing through everything this week. There's the Zuko situation that she spends more time thinking about than anything else, her head is still reeling from her show last week that didn't sell out but damn near did, Situ is hounding her to keep up with everything she has to do plus he's been acting pretty funny lately. She has to somehow get her a new car, her insurance totally bailed on her. No matter what other things she has on her play Zuko is always the priority of her mind.

She has a full day in the morning for a photo shoot at the beach, and then there's more studio time and an interview with some magazine. She should be sleep at this ungodly hour. She grabs her phone out of her purse and unlocks the screen. Zuko called her three hours ago. Her thumbs dance over the screen. Should she call him? She should tell him what her and Yue found out. She should at least talk to him…

Just as she's about to call him Kouga's name pops up. What could he want this time of night?

"Kouga if this is work related or a booty call I'm about to hang up right now." She warns when she answers.

"No, this is important. Look Katara, we rewinded the cameras back at work tonight. We do done it every month but… there's something that I think you should see." He says in a shushed tone.

"Did I get caught hiding from work under the bar again?"

"No, not this time. Can you come by the club later on today? I'm stuck doing inventory."

"I have some things to do later today, how about around one?"

"That's fine, I'll see you there."

She hangs up without saying goodbye and calls Zuko. It goes straight to voicemail, either the battery is dead or he's turn his phone completely off. She calls again and it does the same thing. She gives up and tosses her phone aside before falling back on the bed.

At least she tried.

**.0.**

"You're still here?" Sokka asks groggily the next morning. "When are you leaving?"

"Very funny." Katara tells him sarcastically as she lays her bag on the island in the kitchen. Sokka still lives at home mostly because he only has to pay one low amount every month. He could get his own place but he told her that he's saving up all his money for his wedding in a few months.

"So do you plan on cooking or cleaning up while you're here?"

"Nope, as a matter of fact I may be going home tomorrow or the day after that."

"Bummer. So did you talk to Zuko?" He asks. She looks at him over her shoulder. Does he know? Did Yue tell him? Sokka shrugs. "I'm just asking because you and Yue haven't played batman and robin in a long time, then you broke into a doctors office which is pretty funny because I was told by an confidential source that Mai, Zuko's ex fiancé is pregnant for Zuko."

"I'm guessing that your confidential informant is your wife." Katara sighs. "That really isn't your business Sokka."

"It is if it's something that's hurting my baby sister!" He replies.

"Just drop it Sokka. I have to go, tell dad I'll be back later." She grabs her bag off the island and slings it over her shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

"To work for a bit." He follows her out to the garage.

"Sure just take my car, I don't mind." Sokka says with fake support. "You sure you don't want me to drive you?"

"I'll be fine, don't worry Sokka."

He looks unsure for a moment and then sighs, his shoulders slump. "Alright, just make sure you call me or text me when you get there."

"I will." She starts the smooth engine of his mustang and waves at him as she backs out of the driveway. She tries to call Zuko again on the way to the club but he doesn't answer, his phone goes straight to the automated voicemail. She sighs in aggravated and defeat. It's like being separated from your best friend and living with a steak through your heart. BMaybe he doesn't want to talk to her, maybe he's… somewhere off with Mai but then again maybe something's wrong. She decides to go to house after she's done at the club.

She feels different being at work in jeans, a basic tank tank and leather jacket. It's empty except for the workers carrying crates to the back. Kouga comes from upstairs and grins at her. Without a word he takes her into Tahno's office and closes the door.

"So what's so important that I had to see?" She sits down in the spinning chair and crosses her legs. Kouga turns on one of the flat screens on the wall and it shows a full view of the bar.

"I was rewinding the tapes and I saw something that looks strange. What's your boyfriend name? Zuko, wasn't it?"

She blinks. "Uh, yeah it was."

"Well he came in, looked like the dude was down on his luck. He had way more drinks than I should've let him have but he looked like he needed it." He fast forwards the tape, it's a good thing that it's in color and not black and white. That surely is Zuko at the bar guzzling down liquor. Kouga pauses the tape and taps the screen. "Now this chick came in, whoever she is Zuko didn't want to see her or talk to her at all. She definitely wasn't you and she definitely didn't look like a relative. She how they're having some verbal argument?"

"Yeah."

"Now this is the problem." Kouga frowns. "See right there? She slipped something into his drink, something white and powdery."

"No…" Katara stands and looks up at the screen. The date is right on the tape, she knows for a fact that it couldn't be tampered with. She looks at Kouga. "You're the barkeep that he was talking about."

"Maybe so. But I know for sure that was Zuko, that was the name on the credit card. But this is the weird part. I rolled back the cameras in the parking lot too. See? I don't know who this chick is, I don't know what you three have going on, but this is just…weird. See what she does in the parking lot after she hauled him out of the bar? She wore it wig, it was a disguise. She had this planned, crazy bi-"

"-Oh my God…" Katara's eyes widen as she watches the woman rip the wig from her head and let her long black hair flow free. "He was telling the truth."

"She drugged him, I wish I would've caught onto it sooner- _Where _you going?" Kouga asks when he's almost knocked over. Katara doesn't attempt to reply, she gets in the car and speeds off to Zuko's condo.

**.0.**

**Well.**

**Read and Review**

**Also, I don't find it very kind the way I'm being semi bashed for Katara being Persian and having tattoos. She's dark in the series, her hair is dark and way, she has blue eyes because she's from tribes and the Persian race died out along time ago. Well, if you don't like the way I portray Katara then don't read any of my fics.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**A:N So... i wasn't going to update until Halloween because i like starving my readers. I don't know why, and then i don't think that i like this chapter very much. I'll make up for it in the next chapter, also heck out my new Zutara fic With Every Touch. Casualties of Love was deleted because i just got a major writers block from it. But With Every Touch is fic for my followers who enjoy a little bit of crime and suspense. :) **

**Nineteen**

"Okay, so we got the Wonder Twins, also known as my sister and my fiancé, and we also got Toph, also known as the miniature Incredible Hulk. So you guys are holding one of your superhero meetings in the family room? The family room, the room that has the biggest television in the entire house?" Sokka whines. "It's my day off! I haven't had a off day in weeks and now you guys are in here plotting a devious plan or something."

"What makes you think that?" Toph asks.

"Because my sister is crazy and she has even crazier friends to help her do the craziest stuff that's why!"

"Yeah, you're right about that."

"Because this is important Sokka!" Katara counters.

"There's your bedroom and then den you can use." Yue suggests with a shoulder shrug.

"Unless you want a part of this, which will most likely cause you to lose your job." Toph grins.

Sokka looks at their faces. "Whatever you guys are planning I don't want to know. I'm going to Hahn's and Sangok's place, it's too much macho femininity in here."

"Okay, I don't know where he could be." Katara says as she tosses her phone down on the table. "He's not at home, he's not at the office, his phone is going straight to voicemail."

Toph picks it up. "What about that Lu Ten guy? Did you try him?"

"His phone is off too. I don't want to be stalkerish and show up at his family's home. We've already broken into a doctors office and Mai is pressing charges against me."

"The breaking and entering was fun, well, the ride to jail was fun. Cops are so hilarious." Yue laughs.

"I'm glad I wasn't there. I don't ever want to have to share showers." Toph scrunches her nose up.

"Believe me it's not pretty. Thanks for dealing with me through this, I know it's a burden." Katara says.

"You're no burden SugarQueen, you may be glibly inclined, a bossy, know it all brat but you're our friend. Couldn't get rid of you if we tried." Toph waves her off.

"We're all best friends. Friends don't leave friends to wallow in sadness and despair. That's why we are going to stay with you until you make some type of contact with Zuko. Now in the meantime," Yue pulls out her blue and white kit. "Whose ready for a manicure?"

Toph groans and feigns death.

**.0.**

"Turn it down Lu Ten." Zuko states in a brooding tone. "I don't feel like hearing that."

"Remember when we were in high school and we threw that big house party while your parents were away in Ba Sing Se?" Lu Ten turns down the radio.

"How can I forget?"

"It was pretty epic." Lu Ten rummages through his suitcase. "Still no word from Katara?"

"Of course there wouldn't be any word from Katara. Even if there were, I wouldn't know because someone knocked me off the yacht into the ocean, and now my phones gone, it's God knows where." Zuko seeths.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Too much Fire Whiskey. Why not send Kenshin to get another one? That's what an assistant is for."

Kenshin, she's the blonde bombshell hired by Zuko's father. If Katara saw that he was on Ember Island with another woman she would take with a fit without knowing the whole story.

"I am, first thing in the morning. I wish I didn't have to come to this bullshit." Zuko stands and throws his plates into the sink. "I hate these seminars."

"Your dad sent you in his place, maybe he's testing you to see how good you'll be at taking his spot." Lu Ten pulls out a white button up shirt. "So are we going to embrace Ember Island or not? Just think about it as a paid vacation, we can decide how to rope in these old farts and close this deal later. It's Saturday night, live, have fun!"

"I would rather not embrace in foolery."

"Foolery? Anyway, Ty Lee should've came. She would've had them wrapped right around her finger. Hey, you think there's any good liquor here? In aching for a bourbon."

"You're suggesting we go to a bar?"

"Kind of."

"The last time I went to a bar I was drugged by a psycho and raped." Zuko states in a disapproving tone. "There's a bar right there by the tv."

"Lighten up Zuko."

"Lighten up? Katara thinks that I willingly slept with Mai and got her pregnant! Now she won't talk to me, she didn't even want to listen to me."

Lu Ten sighs. "You just have to give it time. She'll come around eventually."

"Yeah, whatever you say. I'm going to bed." Zuko takes the stares to his room two at a time.

"So you're going to bail on the wolf pack?" Lu Ten follows him. "It'll be like the old days! You, me, Chang, Chong and Tao!"

"I don't feel like reliving the glory days Lu Ten." Zuko pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it onto the marble floors.

"I understand you miss her and stuff Zuko but you can't keep moping around like this. It isn't healthy. You've been like this since before the flight."

"Then I'll be moping and remain a dick until I return to the city." Lu Ten frowns at his answer.

"Okay then, guess we'll have to make due without you then. Try not to cry too much." Lu Ten leaves and closes the door behind him.

He isn't in the mood to go fooling around the island with Lu Ten and the twins. He'll rather stay in his bed and contemplate all the mistakes he made in his life, the biggest one being breaking Katara's heart. She's cried in front of him before but not like that. She's never cried with so much pain and betrayal in her eyes, and it was all because of him. Well really it was all because of Mai. He can't wait to get back home to handle her properly. It's even worse that she tried to pass that baby off as his, but then she drugged him and slept with him while he was out of it.

He wishes that he could talk to Katara, it's been forever. He tried calling off of Lu Tens phone but it didn't work. Sitting up he looks over at the phone on his nightstand. He picks it up and dials her number. It's Sokka who answers the phone.

"Hey Zuko." He greets with a mouthful of something. "What's up?"

"Hey. Is Katara around?"

"Yes and no. See she's here, but she's recording right now with Situ and that crap takes all night. She's been calling you by the way."

"I lost my phone, it's swimming somewhere with the fishes now. Can you just… just tell her that I called alright?"

"Will do."

Zuko hangs up and tosses the phone aside and leans back on the pillows. He doesn't like Situ, not because he knew about Mai but because he doesn't like how he looks at her, he's challenging him. Katara just happens to play the part of possibly being collateral damage.

Maybe if he never would've stormed off when he heard Katara tell that to Jet, maybe if he never would've went to that bar he wouldn't be in this predicament. It's half past nine and he decides to get a head start on analyzing those files for that dinner Monday night. He doesn't want to walk into a gunfight with a knife.

Throughout his work he looks over at the phone on the nightstand, waiting for it to ring but it doesn't. He takes his work into the living area and pours himself a glass of brandy at the bar. A knock comes to the door, he chooses to ignore it. He knows Lu Ten and the others are probably off behaving like some hooligans.

"Mr. Agni? It's me, Kenshin. I wanted to know if you needed help with anything."

Zuko scowls at the woman's emphasis on the word anything. "No, it's fine. Take the rest of the night off."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He doesn't try to hide the agitation from his voice. He drinks down the brown liquor and looks up at the full moon, wondering if Katara is watching it too.

**.0.**

Another vase is smashed against the wall, he glares at her stops her before she can break something else. She jerks away and pushes his chest. He grabs her wrists and tosses her onto the sofa.

"Calm down!" He orders, it's in a tone that she's never heard him use before. A water whip strikes him across his cheek and leaves a thin red line. Her chest heaves up and down as she glares through her.

"I can't calm down!"

"You're drunk, you need to calm down and eat a meal before you go to sleep. You have an interview in a couple of hours and you're obviously not ready for that."

"Obviously you should know where the boundaries are. You may be my manager but you're not my ruler." She gets up and brushes past him to get to the kitchen. "You can't tell me what I can and can't do."

"Of course I can tell you what you can and can't do! Drinking yourself to sleep when you have shit to do the next day is something that you can't do Katara."

"Well what else am I supposed to do?"

"Read a book, I don't know! That isn't healthy!"

"Oh, now you're my doctor." She turns to him with her hands planted on her hips. "I don't have to stand here and listen to this."

"If you want to keep the position that you're in now you will listen to this. What's it going to take Katara? Does a house need to fall on your head or does Zuko have to come from wherever the hell he is to get you back in order?"

"He isn't my keeper!" She shouts out.

"Well somebody needs to be! When you're in this type of business, everything that you do affects the reputation of the company Katara. If you look bad then that makes us all look bad."

"All this because I had a little too much to drink at my rehearsal." He steps further to her, and every step he takes forward she takes one back.

"You're unraveling, Katara." He says softly. His eyes search hers for something that he probably won't ever find. "I'm rescheduling your appointments for tomorrow. Go to a spa or stay home and pull yourself together."

"I don't need-"

"-Yes you do. I know what it's like."

She looks past him to the centerpiece on the island. "How would you know?"

"Because I was in love once, it feels like it was just yesterday." He heads out the kitchen and to the front door. Katara follows close behind him. She can't believe that he's finally gave her a bit of his personal life. He's such a guarded person, even that little snippet makes her want to know more.

"So what happened?" She asks. "Why aren't you two…"

"Just because you love someone that doesn't mean you have to be with them." A small smile graces his lips. He sighs and opens the front door.

"What? That's not really saying anything." She stands in the doorway and looks at him. He's watching the stars in the sky. Maybe Situ does have a compassionate, soft, and caring side that she's never seen.

"I'll tell you tomorrow." He unlocks his car and gets in. Katara watches him speed off down the street and then turn the corner. When she closes the door she can hear her phone ringing from upstairs. She nearly knocks Toby unconscious on her dash up the stairs.

She snatches it off her bed and answers it without looking at whose calling. "Hello?"

"Katara?" It's Zuko. She let's out a relieved breath and she can't help but smile.

"Where are you? I was getting worried."

"Don't worry. I had to step in for my father for a conference and business deal at Ember Island. Lu Ten knocked my phone into the ocean on the way here. I have to close a deal with some perverted affiliates.

"Ember island? Did you take Ming with you?"

"No." He says. "She's still at the office, why?"

"Because she isn't there. I went there two days in a row and she was never there." She explains. Zuko sighs through the phone and clears his throat. She decides that this is a good time to tell him what happened. "I know what happened with you and Mai. I saw on the cameras at work how she drugged you."

"On camera?"

"Yes, they have security cameras. I'm sorry I- I should've at least heard what you had to say but instead I just went off."

"Call me crazy but it sounds like you're apologizing for being wrong." He chuckles. "It's fine, don't apologize. I never should've stormed out like that…"

"Yeah, you shouldn't have." He laughs, something that she hasn't heard in a long time. "When are you coming back?"

"Next week, Halloween to be exact. Is that too long away?"

"Way too long." She closes her eyes. "I miss you." She has literally been going stir crazy since he's been gone. It's like being apart from her music, she hates it.

"I'll fly you out here. It wouldn't take much, seeing as though I can't leave."

"I can't, I want to but I can't. I have a lot of things here to do."

She can imagine his expression through the phone. He's wondering just what all she needs to do, what's so important?

"Like what?"

"I have some photo and video shoots, interviews… it's a lot."

"Oh." He tries to say dryly, but she can detect the disappointment in his voice. Half of her wishes that she didn't have to do that, she wishes she could go to the island with him but she knows she has to get this done.

"So when do you meet with these men?"

"It's Friday, at a strip club and-"

"-A strip club?" She narrows her eyes. "You'd better be lying!"

"I told you they were old perverts who love young women." He laughs. "It's not at a strip club Katara, it'll be at the Nations Restaurant."

"I wish I could come."

"So do I." He sighs into the phone. "I love you"

Her heart skips. "I love you too."

That night- even though it's past cliche- they asleep on the phone with each other, something shat she's never done before, not even with Jet.

The next morning she's finally out grocery shopping, she still hasn't gotten another car. It's probably because she doesn't have enough for a new one she blames the faulty insurance. Luckily Zuko hasn't found out about that. If he were here he'd try to push her into a Bugatti or a Bentley. Since shes

Been in the store she's forgotten about

Toby's dog food three times. She quickly walks back over to the animal section and throws different types of food into the basket.

She forgets that she isn't the only one she has to feed now, it's just like having a child.

Katara hoes through her basket at the register. She's got a lot of fruits, juice, bread and meats- by meat she means meaty pizzas, hot pockets, TV dinners and pizza rolls. At least it's semi healthy, except for huge jars of taffy and starbursts. She waits patiently in line for her turn to check out. She thinks about what Situ said last night, he was right. She needs to stay focused and Not spiral downwards every time things take a bad turn.

She really wants to do that photo shoot today and it's still early. She finds it more convenient to text him, she doesn't know why but she would rather not hear his voice right now. He texts back immediately to say be ready for one, and since she's in Sokka's car Situ will have to meet her at the agency after she drops The groceries off at her house.

Now, as she swirls around in Sokka's big leathery desk chair she calls Zuko. She's here and he's there, someone's in the wrong place. It's rings and rings until it's finally answered.

"Hello?" It's a woman. Katara freezes with a frown, narrowed eyes, and furrowed brows. Just what is a woman doing answering Zuko's phone? "Hello?"

Katara hangs up the phone and bolts out of the office.

**.0.**

"What are you doing?" Zuko snatches his phone away from her and checks to see who it was that she was talking to. "For the love of- why'd you do that Kenshin?"

The woman blinks and squares her shoulders. "Well, you were in the shower and I am you're assigned assistant-"

"-No, you don't understand. My girlfriend is crazy-"

"-Lu Ten said that you two broke up." Kenshin flips her hair over her shoulder and snaps her hands on her hips.

"Your position is to make sure that my schedule is in order and make sure that everything business related is running smoothly, you weren't hired to meddle in my personal life." He retorts with a sighs. He attempts to call her back but she doesn't answer. Zuko knows that she's already gotten the wrong idea, he should've told her about his assistant when he talked to her.

"Yes Mr. Agni." There's an edge to her voice but Zuko tries to ignore it.

Across the room Kenshin preoccupies herself by organizing paperwork. He knew this was going to be a bad idea, he never should've let his father push this woman on him. It's now that Zuko wishes he would've sent Azula in his place instead. Azula is devious but he doesn't think she would be daring enough to ruffle Katara's already fluffed feathers.

"I'll leave you to go and get ready for tonight." She announces after she tucks away the portfolio into the desk. "Is there anything else that you _needed_ me for?"

"No." Zuko resists the urge to roll his eyes. This trip cannot be over fast enough.

"Good day then." Kenshin disappears out of the door. Lu Ten barges in from downstairs with a paper in his hand. Here we are together and everything between us is good

"I know how to reel in Gyam, Hong, and Wen." He announces and hands Zuko the paper. It's a list of things that the old geezers like and dislike."

"And you're giving me this why?"

"So we can be prepared. We have to know what we're getting into, plus I told Kenshin to come."

"What? Why?" Zuko questions with an annoyed expression. It's not hard to see that Kenshin clearly is his least favorite person. He didn't like her the first day he saw her, she instantly charmed Lu Ten but not him. It's not too often that a woman can get into his cousin's good graces. As a matter of fact he can't even remember the last time he had a girlfriend.

"Because she can persuade them into accepting our deal. She knows three different languages, she's young and beautiful, something that they love." He takes the paper back and folds it three times before sticking it into his pants pocket.

"She doesn't have to go, I don't want her to go." Zuko frowns. "But you're right."

"You know Ursa already told them about you and Katara, but seeing as though Katara isn't here we'll have to improvise." Lu Ten trails off. "Where is she anyway?"

"What? When did this happen? Katara's got photo shoots and interviews lined up all week. Just what do you mean by improvise?"

"I mean we'll have to get Kenshin to take her place."

"No." Zuko says. "There's no way I'm doing that."

"But you just said that I was right about her coming."

"I said that you were right about her joining us, I never said you were right about her posing as my girlfriend!"

"What's the worse that can happen?" Lu Ten checks his Rolex. "Have to finish getting ready. I'll tell Kenshin to wear something nice for you."

"Lu Ten!" But it's too late, he's already left out of the hotel room.

Now he stands in the lobby of the restaurant with a scowl that he doesn't try to hide. Lu Ten still hasn't came yet, he's probably doing this on purpose. It doesn't take an hour to come from the hotel section, not wanting to make a bad impression by being late he decides on going In without him. Kenshin, whose wearing a skin tight blood red dress, has looped her arm around his and looks up at him expectantly. Zuko sighs, may as well get this over with. He glances at the white marbled staircase that's centered in the middle of the lobby. He still hasn't shown up, just what is he doing?

"Don't you think we should go?" Kenshin asks. "We don't want to be late. Oh, and I already know what I'm supposed to do."

"Unless you don't want to live the rest of your life as Captain Hook, I suggest you get your filthy hands off of my boyfriend." A steely voice says.

Both heads turn to the new voice behind them on the stairwell.

"Katara?" Zuko asks. He doesn't know if he's seeing correctly or not because the Katara he knows wouldn't be here right now. She would be posing for the front cover of some magazine. Yet there she is, being led down the stairs by Lu Ten wearing a red floor length asymmetrical dress that stops at her mid thigh. Her hair is pulled to one side, cascading down her front shoulder in dark curls.

Lu Ten tries to suppress a smirk or grin as they reach them. "Look who I found."

"Don't you have some business partners to go and meet?" Katara asks Zuko far too kindly as she pulls him away from a gassy Kenshin.

"What are you- how'd you get here?" Zuko's arm slinks to around her waist and squeezes her closer to his side as they walk to their awaiting table.

"A Jet."

"You don't have a Jet, Katara."

"I do now. Just tell me you're glad I'm here and that you've missed me." She says back. "I missed you."

"I'm glad you're here and I've missed you."

"Good. Now, let's tackle these geezers." She says with determination. She glanced back at Kenshin whose now on Lu Ten's arm. "I don't think she likes me very much."

"Well you did threaten to rip her hands off for touching me."

"Of course." She laughs. "Because… I don't like others messing with what's mines."

"Possessive much?"

"Very."

"Good." He says. "Just keep the claws in tonight, alright?" He kisses the top of her head.

"Yes sir." She replies. "I promise."

**.0.**

**Sucky ending .**

**Read and review**


	20. Chapter 20

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author: **XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Twenty **

_Heart beats fast_

_Colors and promises_

_How to be brave?_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?_

_But watching you stand alone,_

_All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow._

_One step closer_

_[Chorus:]_

_I have died every day waiting for you_

_Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_Time stands still_

_Beauty in all she is_

_I will be brave_

_I will not let anything take away_

_What's standing in front of me_

_Every breath_

_Every hour has come to this_

_One step closer_

_[Chorus:]_

_I have died every day waiting for you_

_Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me_

_I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_One step closer_

_One step closer_

_[Chorus:]_

_I have died every day waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me_

_I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

"Did you like it?" Katara asks him once she's done. "I just kind of threw it all together. I'm not really sure if it's album or even radio worthy."

"I love it, so I'm wondering if you'll do it at our wedding in June." Sokka hands her her bag abd he zips up his jacket.

"You know I don't do weddings Sokka, they aren't really my thing." She returned back to the city late last night along with Zuko, Lu Ten, and Kenshin. It took everything in her to help them get that pervert on their side. By the time the night was over she, with mild help from Kenshin, managed to help close the biggest deal in Agni history.

Sokka is off today so he decided that they should spend the entire day together doing brother and sister things. She wanted to make a pitstop at the theater first, it's been so long. Now they're in the car heading to the movie theater, after that they're going to the skating rink and out to eat at a buffet of her choice.

Hopefully you'll change your mind by then."

"Don't hold your breath brother. Where's dad? I know it's his off day. Maybe he wants to come-"

Sokka reaches over and squeezes her lips shut all while keeping his eyes on the road. "No fathers, no girlfriends, no boyfriends, no ex girlfriends of boyfriends and no talk about boyfriends or girlfriends or ex boyfriends slash girlfriends." He releases her mouth. "No phones either cupcake." He snatches her phone out of her hand.

"You're kidding me right?"

"Nope, dead serious." He shakes his head.

"But I want to talk to Zuko and dad."

"They're together." Sokka taps his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Together doing what?"

"Talking." He says in annoyance.

"Talking? About what?"

"You."

"What about me?"

"You know I can't tell you that." He laughs.

"is that why you're taking me all around the world? You don't want me to talk to either of them because they're talking about me. Tell me I'm wrong?" She rolls her eyes and leans back in the seat.

"You're right."

"But Zuko's supposed to be at work."

"He took off."

"Since when did you two become best buds?"

"When we lured dad to the agency and locked him in his office with nothing but videos of you." Sokka turns up the heater. "You always were a pain, you know that?"

"So what are they talking about me for?"

"You'll see." He grins. Whatever it is she doesn't like it. What could Hakoda and Zuko possibly have to talk about?

"Since about the middle of July. I think I have a receipt for the day I met him. I'll have to see. Why?"

"So since it's November… you met him in July and it's been a little over four months." He looks at her. "Is that right?"

"I guess, sure. Why?"

"So you love him?" He looks at her out the corner of the

"I hope this isn't a speech about how I haven't been with him long enough to be in love with him because if it is, love isn't measured by-"

"- No, that's not what I'm saying. All I'm going to say is just be ready for the more important things in life."

"Yeah, I know. Family, babies, career, s nice house and all that. Blah!" She fake barfs.

"I'm serious."

"Me too."

After that the rest of the ride is silent, and karats tries to figure out just what Zuko and her father are talking about.

**.0.**

She cuts her eyes at him, he probably thinks that she's just squinting her eyes from the bright sun. Her hands are on her hips and as she walks around it. Why'd he do this? This is too much for her. She can feel him watching her every move from the doorway. Zuko, much to her satisfaction, has chosen to some spend days with her. She's missed him terribly, everything was fine until he came home with this demon.

Yes, she thinks it's a demon.

"Are you just going to look at it all day? It's cold out here if you didn't know Katara." Zuko leans on the doorframe.

"I can't believe you did this. Why'd you do this?"

"Because you needed it, it didn't look like you were going to get another one on your own anytime soon."

Katara looks at it, then back at him and at the atrocity again. "Take it back. I don't want it." She shrugs casually. "You should've consulted me first Zuko."

"You need it Katara, stop being stubborn!"

"I know I needed a car but i didn't need this!"

"Are you crazy? Who doesn't want that?!"

"I was going to get an Altima, or a Honda or maxima!"

"What? Oh please…" He comes down the steps and zips up his jacket. "Just take it and be happy."

"I don't need a Maserati to be happy!" She counters. "It's just too much."

"It's the least I could do. This is something that you needed and I told you I'd be here for you even if you don't need my help." He gently grips her shoulders and pulls her into his chest.

"Well, It is a nice car." She turns into his grasp to examine it. "Thank you."

"I knew you'd love it."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

**.0.**

"I can help if you want me-"

"-No." She says sharply and holds up a finger to silence him. "I know what I'm doing. You just sit…" she doesn't know how long it's been since she's actually cooked. She's been living off junk food for the past couple of years.

He moves around her to the stove and turns off the burner. "I've never seen anyone burn oxygen before."

"Very funny." She says sarcastically. "I'm just dying of laughter."

"Tell me again why your family chooses to play family football in forty degree weather." Zuko has only played football in his junior year of high school and even back then he hated playing in the cold.

"That's because it's football season, my family loves football, it's the best sport in my eyes." She fills the pot with water before turning it back on again and moving to the freezer. "Your mothers coming too, did you know she's a football fan? I think she's become my new bestie."

"It seems that way, she loves you like you're her own flesh and blood. So you play?" Zuko raises an eyebrow.

She pulls of a roll of ground beef from the freezer and grabs a bowl from the bottom cabinets. "Of course I play. I used to be kind of a tomboy, growing up around a lot of boys and all. I find pleasure in knocking people to the ground. It's a real good stress reliever."

"You came off as a bit cynically girlish to me."

"Me? Even Yue plays football." She looks at him as she seasons the meat."Are you nervous?"

He cocks his head to the side. "Why would I be nervous? I'm only about to meet my girlfriend's family for the first time."

"They're friendly Zuko. They can get a bit rough but they're friendly." She says honestly. "They even welcomed Jet with open arms, well, before he ruined my life, desecrated my soul and all that."

"And when did you talk to my mother?"

"We text sometimes. She's very hip by the way." She shrugs as she washes her hands. "Anyway, the game isn't until Saturday.

"I'm sure." He says in a finalizing tone. His eyes catch hold of something orange and white on the edge of the dining room table. "What are these?" He picks them up and examines them.

"Menstrual pills." She crosses her arms over her chest. "Can you not-"

"-This is for eating disorders." He looks up at her from his phone screen in confusion. She stares back, Katara knows that she's about to get the interrogation of her life. Her phone beeps and vibrates on the table behind him, it's three thirty in the evening. Situ said that he'd update her on what's happening Friday night. She knows that's who it is, she takes a step to retrieve but Zuko snatches it up before she can even make it halfway. It stops vibrating and begins ringing loudly.

Zuko answers it without taking his eyes off her. It's so silent that she can hear Situ's voice on the other line.

"We're busy." He hangs the phone up. "Now what's this about?"

"It's nothing. Look, the food is done. We have nachos and cheese with beef, pizza rolls, pizza-"

"-What does that matter Katara? I've noticed that you always eat less than half of your food, sometimes you don't eat anything at all I just thought you were a picky eater. Now that I see this I know for sure that something wrong."

"Nothing's wrong with me." He examines her face, he isn't happy about this. She thought that she would tell him about it sometime later on but she never expected it to be this soon.

"Don't give me that-"

"-I'm not giving you anything! What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me what's going on with you, if there's something wrong you're supposed to tell me Katara." He frowns when he steps to her and she steps back. "Katara-"

"No." She stops him before he could finish his sentence. "-I don't want to talk about that. Can I have my phone back now please?"

"Not until you tell me."

"I'm not telling you about it Zuko. That was a phone call that I was waiting for." She tries to reach for it but he steps back out of her reach.

"It's damn near eleven o'clock at night, just what do you two have to talk about that can't wait until morning?" Zuko asks with edge, she doesn't answer. "Well?"

"Somewhere in your mind I bet you think that Situ has a thing for me or I have a thing for him, it's only business Zuko. Just business."

"You're completely blind."

"Blind to what?"

"Don't you see? The iPad, that damn near twenty five thousand dollar watch, he offered to buy you a jaguar, late night phone calls and text messages, little dinner meetings and him popping up at your house? I don't like him. I don't want you seeing him again."

"How'd this go from the pills to Situ Zuko?" She throws her hands up. "But to answer your questions, I'm not getting all the nutrition that supposed to, I'm not having an appetite and sometimes i can't keep my

Food down." There. He stands quietly and processes everything that she's just said. She wonders what he's about to say or do now. Sometimes he can be so unpredictable, more so when he's upset. She hasn't seen him like this since the whole Jet situation.

"Why didn't you tell me before? How long

has this been going on for?"

"A few years, but I'm fine. I'm better than I was before. You make it sound like I'm totally starving myself. I eat, you just saw me eat half a pizza by myself."

"I did, alright, you ate today. That still doesn't mean that I like him with you, and still if something's going on with you I'd like to know about it."

"Okay Zuko, next time I feel like I'm going into starvation mode I'll send you a notice. See Situ, He's getting me to where I want to be in life." She says softly. "He's my manager and so far he's been nothing but a complete gentleman to me-"

"-A complete gentleman who looks at you funny."

"Funny?"

"He looks at you like…" He takes a deep breath. "Like…"

"Like what Zuko?"

"He looks at you like I look at you." He says. There's something in his voice that dramatizes the moment more than it already is, something that she can't quite put her finger on. "I don't want him to manage you anymore."

"What? He's my manager!"

"I'll find you a new one."

"Stop being such a mythomaniac. Me and him have no interest in one another. Why would you even…" her voice trails off and she reaches her hand out. "Just give my phone, it might be important."

"No." He says in a matter of fact tone.

"Fine. Keep it. As a matter of fact go through it! Check everything. Check my phone calls, messages, emails…" she shakes her head in confusion. "It's like you don't trust me."

"I do trust you it's him that I don't trust." He repeats. "I'm keeping this tonight." He's referring to her phone.

"Fine, whatever floats your boat. If you don't mind picking this food up I'm going to bed- if you trust me enough to do that-" she says mirthfully. "I don't want to fall asleep while visiting your grandfather." Zuko watches her go up the stairs and sighs when she slams the door to her bedroom.

The phone rings again but this time Zuko turns it completely off and decides that he'll have to pay the other man a visit sooner than later.

**0.**

Katara watches out the window at the passing trees that are littered with gold and brown leaves. They litter the lined street like a thick blanket. It's the fall, the end of October, which means that it's Halloween, one of her favorite holidays. She should be at home finishing setting up for the trick or treaters but she promised Zuko that she'd go with him to see his grandfather. She was left out about her having to wake up at six in the morning for a three hour drive. He didn't want to go at first, he wouldn't tell her why. She fiddles with her fingers in her lap. The heater isn't doing much to keep her warm. She has on a sweater under her black bomber jacket and a scarf around her neck but she still feels cold.

She looks at Zuko. He's keeping his eyes on the road. He hasn't said much this morning, maybe he just isn't in the mood for conversation, but the way that his jaw is set and his his right hand grips the steering wheel she can tell there's something wrong. She turns to face him in her seat and takes his hand in hers. His expression softens when she intwines their fingers.

"Put your seatbelt on." His voice erupts the silence inside of his Porsche. Yes, he has a Porsche as well as a Lamborghini, a corvette, and a Ferrari. She holds in the words that she knows will start an argument and clicks on her seatbelt.

"What's Azulon like?" She asks. "You never really talk about him."

"He's old, vulgar, and cynical. I have no reason to talk to him Katara. I have no connection with him."

"If he's anything like your father I think that I can handle him."

Zuko looks at her unsurely and almost laughs. "No ones that good Katara, not even Ozai himself."

"I know I can." She's confident in herself. "He just needs some kindness and stuff like that. I bought him a German chocolate cake as a pre peace offering."

"Not even Azula can withstand him."

"We'll see." Zuko says when he drives through the gates of Azulon's mansion.

_2 hours later. _

"I hate him! He's rude, mean, grouchy and arrogant!" Katara whispers harshly in the elegant kitchen. When they first entered the mansion they found Azulon out in the yard having breakfast. He's a tall man with long grey hair and a long grey beard. He looked imtimidatig, more intimidating than Azula and Ozai combined. He looked Katara over with confusion as soon as he caught sight of her.

"I thought you were a homosexual." Azulon had said to Zuko with a scoff as he flicked his newspaper.

"I'm not gay!" Zuko exclaims. He sighed after realizing his blatant outburst.

Zuko sighs. "Well, you said that you could handle him." He shrugs and takes her hand to bring her back onto the balcony. She pulls away.

"I thought he was just… misunderstood or something. I was being nice to him but he hates me." She recites to Zuko how dark her skin is and how he poked fun of her height.

"He does that to everyone, in his mind that's a compliment under a shitload of light nitpicking." His phone rings and he reluctantly answer it. "What Lu Ten?"

Giving him privacy, Katara goes back out onto the balcony and takes her seat. Azulon doesn't pay her any mind. The only sounds are those of the ducks quacking by the lake and the occasional flipping of the newspaper.

"This is a nice home you have here, I bet it's beautiful around Christmas time." She attempts a bright smile. Katara thinks that maybe if she finds some common ground they can perhaps get along.

"Humbug."

"Well… That's one of my favorite holidays." She picks at her blueberry muffin.

"I'm sure." He replies grumpily.

"So I hear that you're a war veteran. I like war-"

"-And just what does a little girl like you know about war?" He cuts her off with ease and watches her as if to make her say she knows nothing.

"My grandfather but that was years ago."

"Which war?"

"It was the hundred year war. My grandfather received three medals, we keep them in the safe under lock and key. I don't know why it's not on display, it's something that even I'm proud of." The memory of her grandfather is a little bleak but her heart still warms when she talks about him based on the stories her father has told her through the years.

"What was your grandfather's name?"

"Sontaq, Sontaq Khalan. He actually led the invasion. Do you know him?"

"Of course I know him. Sontaq, also known as your grandfather, was my best friend." Azulon stands with his wine glass in hand.

Katara's eyes widen and her brows raise. "That's… I don't know how to describe it."

"He was a fine warrior. How did he pass?"

"He went peacefully in his sleep."

"The bastard." Azulon curses. "He didn't want a peaceful death, I recall him stating that he wanted to leave this world the same way he came in, fighting."

"If you want I can get the burial site information from my-"

"-You forgot the cake." Zuko announces as he walks out on the balcony with a cake dish in his hands. Azulon frowns at the desert when it's sat on the table. "It's a…gift from Katara."

Katara clears her throat. What if he doesn't like it? What if he doesn't even like sweets? "I thought you'd like it, I wasn't really sure what flavor to get but… who doesn't like chocolate right?"

He sits the glass down and takes the cake up in his hands, examining it with his keen eyes. Katara half expects him to toss it away, give it to one of the maids to dispose of themselves or even throw at her face.

"Contrary to popular belief, I love chocolate." Azulon says. Then, for the first time that even Zuko has seen, his grandfather smiles, he smiles brightly. Katara lets out a breath of relief and leans back in her seat.

She smiles as well. "I made it myself, so I hope it came out to your liking. I'm not much of a baker."

"I'm sure it came out deliciously." Azulon states. He turns to Zuko. "It's about time you bought me a woman with some sense. I don't know where you got all those other dingbats from."

"All? As in more than one?"

"That actually may be a story for another time." Zuko says in an even tone.

Katara doesn't question it, she has some skeletons in her closet too. Instead of worrying about the women before her she tries to indulge herself in Azulon's story about her grandfather in the war. No matter how hard she tries she can't stop thinking about who could've came before her.

**.0. **

"Ready?" Katara asks when she straightens out her blue number three jersey. She's wearing a long sleeved shirt underneath, leggings and running shoes. Zuko is wearing the same except his shirt is black and it reads forty three.

"Just about." He puts in the mouth guard that Sokka gave him earlier, it feels foreign in his mouth. It's been years after all.

Somehow he miraculously ended up on Arnook's team, a close friend of Hakoda and the father of Yue. He, Teo, Hahn, Haru and some other people that Zuko hasn't gotten to know yet are all on Arnook's team. Katara, Yue, and Sokka were placed with Hakoda on the other team. When he's done he follows her out the room and onto the field which is a large patch of land behind Arnook's house. It's blistering cold out here but Katara doesn't seem to feel it. The wind blows her long ponytail around her and she cracks her knuckles.

Her entire family pretty much looks the same, tanned skin with bright and shining blue eyes.

Sokka calls out as soon as he sees them. "Hey Zuko!" He waves them over. Yue stands besides him braiding her long hair with a full face makeover. Katara darts off to a group of women on

"They voted you as quarterback?" Zuko questions.

"Nope, it's not Sokka this time." Yue tosses her braid behind her shoulder. "It's Katara, Sokka and I are the running backs."

Zuko does a double take at the woman. "Wait. What?"

"Yeah she's the quarterback." Sokka stretches. "You look surprised."

"It's just that she's so…"

"So small, short, and kind of skinny? Yeah." Sokka shrugs before throwing an arm around Zuko's shoulders and they moves to their teams. "I know, but shes got a pretty good arm." He pats Zuko's back as they get into formation. Zuko peeps Katara through the hunched over bodies, he's so enthralled into her physique that he doesn't notice when the game starts. By the time he snaps out of it and realizes what's going on around him it's too late. He's already knocked to the ground and out cold.

"Is that better?" Katara asks as she massages his back with her cool water coated hands. "By the way, my gran really likes you. She said that you looked positively dashing in your football clothes. Even though you were knocked unconscious for a bit you still played pretty good."

"Yeah, all I came out with was a dislocated shoulder and a couple of bruises, not to mention the broken nose." He winces and then relaxes his muscles. He's still sore from yesterday, but he has to get up and go to work. Zuko managed to make three touchdowns earlier, two of them being interceptions. Even with his injures he still insisted to play, something that Arnook, Bato, and Hakoda admired.

"Sorry." She apologizes.

"I still can't believe Yue dove on me like that." Zuko stands and flexes his muscles. He recalls how Yue charged at him and tackled him to the ground with the strength of an ox, yelling out her battle cry. In the end it was Zuko's team that won, it was a surprise to everyone. It's usually Hakoda's team who wins. Katara has such a tight knit and good family, they're extremely rough but they welcomed Zuko after they saw that he was tougher than he appeared.

"Didn't think that she was the type to get her hands dirty?" Katara asks lowly. "She's been in more dirt than me." She moves back on the bed when Zuko looms over her.

"We won." He says, lowering his waist onto hers. He keeps himself up on his arms and dips his head down onto her neck. She shifts under him, arching her legs up around him and breathes in sharply when he brushes against her center. "So what do I get as a prize?"

"You've already got your prize."

"What was it?"

"You won the game so we bought you dinner."

He chuckles into her neck before he lays down a series of kisses. "That's not what I had in mind Kuh-Ta-Ra."

Her fingers tangle in his hair and pulls his head up. His lips crash down on hers, a distraction for her as he slips his hand under her shirt and pulls it up to her chest. Her eyes close when he presses her waist against his. "I love you."

"I love you too." Just as he's slipping his fingers into her panties the silence and mood is disrupted.

_Ring…ring…ring_

"Don't answer that." He lays his forehead against her chest. She reaches on the nightstand and answers it anyway. He lifts himself off of her and digs around in the dresser drawers for a shirt. Katara hangs up the phone and jumps out of bed.

"I was supposed to be at the studio for eight, I totally forgot." She calls out from the closet. She comes out wearing a blue Midiro University hooded jacket under a leather jacket with light skinny jeans and black ankle boots. She quickly pulls her hair into a high ponytail and ram shacks her makeup caboodle.

"Studio for what?" Zuko asks. "I thought you were done."

She looks up at him. "I'll never be done. I just have three more to do, he says he's got some news for me."

"Maybe he's quitting, then everyone wins."

"Seriously Zuko? He's done nothing to you."

"He's done enough." He pulls on his shirt and fixes it in the mirror. "Though the veil is still over your eyes."

"Let's not start with the melodramatic Zuko phase. Besides, he asks about you all the time. He's friendly, you're just being… you."

"Very funny." He follows her into the bathroom where she puts that clear stuff on her face, he forgot what it's called. It's supposed to make makeup look better. Zuko watches her then brush on that foundation stuff and then the concealer. Just as she's about to dip a brush into some powder he takes the small jar away from her and examines it.

"Do you mind?" She reaches to take it back. He pulls back out of her reach and frowns up at the jar.

"What's this for?"

"It's a mineral powder to make my skin glow." She reaches again.

"So it's makeup, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"I'm trying to see what you need it for. You're beautiful without it, you don't need all that Katara."

Her face softens at his words. He hands her the powder back. "I have to get on to the office. I'll get you at lunch, alright?" She nods. He kisses the top of her head before heading out the door. Katara looks down at the powder and brush in her hands. She puts them in the drawer and grabs her phone and car keys off of the bed.

She sees that Zuko is already gone, he's more than an hour late for work. Ozai may not tolerate it this time because he's been late two weeks in a row. Now she stands in the garage looking at the Maserati with uneasiness. She supposed to drive this? She's never drove one of these in her entire life. Time is passing so she unlocks the doors and gets in. It still has that new car smell that she's always loved. The engine is very quiet, and she loves the interior. Okay, so she does love the car.

As soon as she gets to the building she's immediately put to work. Situ isn't there, she doesn't know where he is in fact. The other backup singers said that he came and left. Zuko has already texted her to say that he has to work through lunch and work late to catch up on all the work he missed out on. Her schedule is pretty much free the rest of the day until she goes to work.

"Late night last night?" Sonzae comes and sits next to her on the bench. She's about her height with short black hair, big amber eyes and pale skin. She has a bubbly personality that reminds her a lot of Yue. She hands her a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

"Entirely too late." She takes the warm cup in her hands "thanks. I really didn't feel like going way across town for this."

"No problem. We have a couple of espresso and other liquid machines over in the snack room."

"What snack room?" In all the time she's been coming here to the studio she's never known anything about a snack room.

"It's on the twelfth floor, right before you get to Situ's office."

"Situ's office?"

Sonzae laughs. "So you haven't had a tour of the building? You don't know where anything is besides the studio?"

"And the bathrooms."

"We won't really have time for an official tour. There's a snack room combined with a game room and there are some bunk beds in there in case we have to go in overtime." She pulls out her phone and checks it. "So you're about to complete your first album right?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of nervous too."

"Why? You're great."

"What if nobody buys my album? What if they don't like me? What if I flop?" She shakes her head and sighs. She's been thinking about that a lot lately.

"You're saying that you don't think you're good enough?"

Katara nods. "I know I'm alright I just don't know if the world will think the same." She shrugs her shoulders and goes to sit on the edge of the pond. It's an atrium in the lobby filled with exotic flowers and plants plants and a small pond of huge koi fish. She reaches her hand in and swirls it around in the cool water. She removes her hand, sonzae's eyes widen a fraction as she watches the swirling water on her friends hand.

"You're a water bender?" She asks. "My dad is a water bender but my dad was a fire bender. Don't you think it's weird that I'm a non bender? It really sucks that I'm a non bender though."

"Your father was a fire bender?" Katara twists the water into a medium sized frozen ball. "Was?"

"Yeah, he died a couple of years ago. They say it was because his heart exploded or something." Sonzae almost appears crestfallen, she shudders a little. "They found him over by that theater, you know the one the people go to to practice their talents and stuff like that? Mortician said his exploded because of stress."

Katara freezes. The water in her hand melts and trickles back into the pond and she stares at her wet hand with wide eyes.

It can't be.

There's no way.

She looks Sonzae's face, she examines every inch of it. "Your father was Yon Rha?"

"Yeah, how… how did you know?" She smiles unsurely and cocks her head to the side with her hands on her hips.

"I- I uh…" what could she say? How could she tell this to Sonzae? "I-"

"-Katara." Situ calls out. Katara's head turns to the golden elevator doors. Situ is approaching them casually. He's wearing awhile button up shirt under a black jacket with black slacks.

"Sonzae." Situ nods in acknowledgment.

"Hi, I should get back to packing my things up. I'll see you two inside." Sonzae walks briskly to elevators to catch it.

"Weren't you MIA today, you tell me be here for eight and you weren't even here. So you pretty much missed the entire session." She bends the water from her hands. "Though your nagging and negative commentary wasn't missed."

"Come on." He gestures for her to follow him to the elevators. He presses the up button and it comes down for him immediately. They never do that for her. It's an awkward silence when they walk in because it's just the two of them in there. She leans back against wall and runs her fingers through her thick hair.

She examines Situ carefully, just what is it about him that puts Zuko so on edge? His hair is no longer in a topknot, it's styled some type of messy yet sophisticated way. His shoulders are broad and she can see the hints of muscle in his arm as he checks his watch. He's very bowlegged, she hasn't see. someone stand like that in a while.

She remembers what he told her, about how his first love basically ripped his heart out of his chest. Now she's off somewhere with her tycoon husband probably maxing out as much money from him as she can. Situ has a smart mouth, sometimes he can be a little harsh and demanding but other than that he's a pretty good guy, a gentleman.

Maybe it's because he's over attractive, and Zuko being the dominant male that he is, doesn't even like the thought that someone may be the least bit of competition.

"You know it's rude to stare Katara." His voice makes her jump, how'd he know she was watching him? Her face flushes a little.

"I wasn't staring at you." She scoffs. "You're so full of yourself."

"Well since you were staring I'm guessing that you want to be full of me too." He looks back her, grinning when he sees her reddened face.

"Whatever." A weak comeback, she doesn't care though.

She's never been in his office before. It's pretty big and sophisticated, so warm and dare she say it, full of love. There's a desk in the middle of the room with a sleek computer on it, family portraits and diplomas on the wall, another wall is made of glass and gives a view of the city. When he disappears into a separate room she examines the photos on the wall. They're all of him and a girl, she guesses that's his sister. She's pretty, very pretty and she looks exactly like him.

"So what did you have to tell me? Are you firing me?" She looks over her shoulder to see him coming back out with a paper in his hands.

"Actually, you're going to be here a while Katara." He hands her the paper and she looks it over. Her eyes bulge and her mouth drops.

No.

Just how?

"I'm… I-I'm going-" how can she squeeze these words out? It's too amazing, so amazing that she can't even speak.

"You're going to go on a year and a half self entitle tour. You'll hit every city, every nation, town, club…" he leans back against his desk. "Shouldn't you be crying tears of joy?"

"But how? I mean… my album isn't even out yet."

"But it will be soon, I'm pretty sure you'll sell out in the first few days. So when January first comes you'll be on a flight to Ba Sing Se and a sixteen month worldwide tour."

"Me?" She raises her eyes from the paper. "What about you?"

"I'm not going. I'm not your manager anymore Katara, well, I won't be your manager for much longer. I'll give you some time to find someone else, someone more suitable than I am."

"What do you mean? You can't just leave! You're ditching me after all this time? You can't just drop me here like this Situ. What am I going to do without you? And just what do you mean by more suitable? You're great! You're an egotistical dick but you're a good egotistical dick."

He chuckles lightly. "You're a smart girl Katara you'll figure it out." He sits behind his desk and turns on his computer. "Must I really go into detail?"

"Yes you must! I'm having a pretty dumb moment here, my manager just wants to dump me off to someone else!" She shouts. "You're my manager, you're supposed to-"

"-I'm supposed to get you up and on your feet so you'd know how to hold your own in this twisted industry." He cuts her off by smoothly over talking her. What's going on here? Was it something that she did or said?

"You're wrong Situ." She leans on the desk and stares him in the eyes. "You were just explaining to me how we'd go on tours and you stick around to make sure that I'm what I'm supposed to do and to make sure that I'm not getting played. What changed?"

"Just drop it Katara. Look, if it helps I'll find you another manager and an assistant."

"No, I don't want that. I signed a contract with you!" She objects. "I don't wanna start over with someone new."

"Katara…"

"What is it then? Did I do something wrong? Is it me?"

He looks at her with conflict in his eyes and his hands clasped in front of his mouth. "It is you, that's why I'm quitting."

"Oh…" She leans up. She sticks her hands into her pockets. It's something she does when she's nervous.

"I don't like seeing you, I don't like hearing you talk or sing, I don't like having to be with you, I don't like talking to you or even being in the same room as you." He explains coolly. Situ stands and comes around the desk, he keeps his eyes on her the entire time and for the first time Katara is intimidated by the man.

"I don't like you Katara. When I found you at that damned theater I should've left you there." He's merely inches away from her now. If she makes one wrong move their lips are going to touch. But, she can't help but feel the least bit hurt. Why does he have this sudden change of heart? What could've bought this on?

"But… I mean why- wait, so that's why you're quitting? You're quitting because you don't like me?" Her voice comes out low and weak, she almost doesn't sound like herself.

"I'm quitting because you're already on the right track. When I'm around you you make me feel things that I know I shouldn't feel. You cloud my judgement and you make me go against everything that i believe in." He turns away from her and runs a hand through his hair. "You make me feel terrible."

"I'm sorry. If I had known that you hated me-"

"-You have nothing to be sorry about katara, and I don't hate you." He turns back around. "It's the complete opposite."

"What do you mean?"

He exhales. "I'm quitting because I love you katara."

Her mouth drops open at his words. Her life has just gotten a bit more complicated.

**.0.**

Zuko holds her hand as they walk around the large fountain at the country club. She's been silent ever since she bolted out of Situ's office earlier. She doesn't even want to think about that. She wraps her arms Zuko, he was right about Situ, but she won't tell him what happened. She has enough to keep her mind occupied like her album coming out, her upcoming tour and keeping Yon Rha's daughter from finding out about what really caused her fathers death.

How can she face her? How can she even be in the sand room with her after what she's done?

"It's beautiful tonight." Zuko says. "What's on your mind?" He's right, it is a beautiful night. There are a million stars in the sky, the full moon is out, the wind is rattling the fall leaves on the ground and to make it better she's enjoying this time with him.

"Nothing important, just a little bit zoned out."

He looks like he's about to press forward but he catches himself.

"I know you're lying." He sits besides her in the brick fountain and watches her toy with the water.

"No you don't."

"When you talk regularly the dimples in your cheeks show. When you lie? Your nose wrinkles and you bite your lip."

"You really notice that?" He looks at her as if she's asked the dumbest question in the entire world. "It's really nothing. I would've told you If it was."

"No you wouldn't have Katara. You'll just try and lock yourself in your Batcave again. Close your eyes."

"Why?"

He's standing now, standing tall and proud with his hands in his jean pockets. "Just do it, it's a surprise."

She removes her hand from the water and sits straight. "You aren't going to push me in are you?"

"Of course not." He smiles. It makes her relax and she pushes the happenings of today to the back of her mind.

She closes her eyes. She can hear shuffling but she doesn't know exactly what it is.

"Open your eyes Katara."

When she opens them again Zuko is down on one knee.

In his hand is a little red velvet box.

In the box is an engagement ring.

**.0.**

**Read and review **

**So, interesting. **

**This story take too much of my attention. But this chapter is almost 7,000 words. Lol, I really couldn't stop but I had to make an interesting cliff hanger. In this chapter I have two. So I wonder what's going to happen next. **

**So I'm thinking about laying off this story for a while because I have to catch up Caged Birds and With Every Touch, I don't know yet. I try to update all my stories at the same time. **

**I love my followers. **

**I love my stories. **

**I love reviews and favorites and alerts. **

**Oh, and I also love xoxobabydoll. **

**Lol. **

**Until next time. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**A:N so, I've decided to only work on this story and finish it out. Then I'll complete Caged Birds and work on With Every Touch, since everyone just loves I Won't Give Up. I'm thinking about changing the title to something more dramatic. I don't know yet, but I'll change it before I update the next chapter. **

**On a brighter note: I'm almost done with season five of the Vampire Diaries. & the cinnapies from papa johns are amazing. **mary:

**Twenty One**

"What's this Zuko?" She manages to ask him after the shock leaves her body. "Zuko, what…"

"I know that this really isn't what you expected, but…" he takes her hand in his. "I know you're thinking that it might be too soon, we still have a lot more ground to cover but I figure that if you have somebody good, you hold onto them."

She nods slowly, never taking her eyes off of the three big diamonds that cover the top of the silver band. "Yeah, I agree."

His eyes are brighter around all of the lights. "I love you, Katara Zaniyet Khalan, and you love me too. You do love me don't you?"

Her voice comes out as a whisper. "I do, I do love you."

"You're the best thing that's happened to me in my entire life. You're smart, you're beautiful, caring, amazing, ambitious and you're different from anyone else I'd ever met."

"Well," her watery eyes finally spill over the years they've been holding in. "I'm lucky to have you too." Zuko reaches and wipes her tears away.

"I want more from you, I want more than just us- a big happy family, everything that we could ever dream of. I want you, I want us, and I want a future together. I want you to be Mrs. Agni. Will you marry me?"

Marriage.

Be married to Zuko.

Be married to Zuko and have a house full of children.

She knows that she loves Zuko, that's not even questionable. He's more than just a boyfriend. He's her rocks, her best friend friend and her newly proclaimed other half. She doesn't even like being away from him, can't go a day without seeing him or talking to him.

"Zuko." She takes the small box out of his hands. He's nervous about this and confident at the same time.

"You don't… I don't expect an answer right away but still." He takes the ring out and slips it on her finger. "You know?" He looks at her to make sure that she knows what he's saying. His eyes are glazed and she hasn't seen that much emotion in them before. Now she knows what Zuko and her

"I know, I know." She says while looking at the ring on her finger, it's so clear and beautiful.

He pulls her off the fountain and into his warm body. Her arms automatically wrap around him and she squeezes him tightly. If he told her anything at that moment she didn't hear it, she's too busy trying to control her whirling mind.

**.0.**

"Rise and shine sleepy head!" Yue sings as soon as she burst into Katara's room the next morning. "Wake up girly, it's Saturday! It smells like sex in here..."

"Yes, it's Saturday. Normal people sleep late on Saturday mornings. Oh wait, I forgot that you aren't normal." Katara rolls over and pulls the covers over her head. She runs her hand on the space next to her, Zuko is gone. She remembers him saying that he had to see his father about something important this morning. They stayed up so She hasn't told him about Situ, the tour, or about her fellow backup singer.

"Come! It's girls day, We only have like seven hours to do everything. My husband and I are going out somewhere tonight and it takes me at least three and a half hours to get ready" Yue yanks sheets away from her body and throws them on the floor. "By the way, I saw Zuko on the way out, how many cars does he have?" She asks with her interrogation stance.

How can she forget? Girl's day consists of the spa, the mall, the nail shops, and hair salons. "I don't know myself I lost count. I can't name them all."

"Oh, so you think- oh my God!" Yue's eyes widen and her mouth opens a little when she sees what's on Katara's finger. She grabs her hand and pulls it up to her face for further inspection. "Oh my God, oh my God. Oh. My. God!" She jumps up and down in her heeled boots. "He proposed? When did this happen? You have to tell me everything Katara, everything!"

"It's really not much to tell except that he really surprised me with this and he practically poured his heart out last night." She pries her hand from Yue's fingers.

"It's beautiful! Maybe we can have our weddings on the same day!"

"Actually." She braces herself for this next statement. "I didn't say yes."

"But you are wearing the ring."

"I didn't say no either."

Yue's face is blank for a minute, then her eyebrows come in and she crosses her arms over her chest. "Okay, let me get this straight. You love him, he loves you, he asked you to marry him and you most likely said that you don't know?"

"That's not what I said-"

"But you didn't say no."

"I didn't say yes either! He said that I didn't have to give him an answer right away." Katara twists the ring on her finger. "I know I'm giving him one soon though."

"It is a beautiful ring. You know you can't keep him waiting forever."

"I know." She says lowly. "So, did you and Sokka decide on a date yet?"

"Actually Sokka doesn't really have a say so in this matter." Yue says perkily with a bright smile. "All he's really worried about is the music and the food. Hey, how about a bachelorette party? We can invite-"

"- Lets not tell anyone about this yet Yue. I wanna make the right decision first before we drop the bomb." Katara says as she flits to the bathroom and turns on the water in the sink. Yue follows her and sits on the edge of the tub.

"You know I can't hold this in, it's too big. "

"You'll have to. Just calm down, take a few deep breaths and you'll be fine." Katara instructs before scrubbing her face clean. Yue has a bit of a nerve disorder, it's best that she stays away from caffein and chocolate.

After freshening up she throws on a lose navy blue sweater with a pair of faded jeans and tan uggs. She checks her phone as she goes out the door and surprisingly, there isn't anything from situ. There aren't any text messages, any calls or emails. He can't just quit on her like that. Why does she feel bad about it? She holds onto the door as Yue speeds downtown. She regrets that she didn't go in her own car because her sister in law doesn't even have a license.

"I heard your song on the radio on the way over here, could that possibly be about Jet?" Yue side glances at her. "I loved that beat though."

"No, it was not about Jet."

"What about Sangok?" She teases.

"Sangok?" Katara breaths. "Oh, you mean Sangok Turon."

Before Zuko and before Jet there was Sangok Turon, her real first love. Long story short he broke up with her to go and be with Ryio Long, the schools head cheerleader. He was her very first heartbreak, but she hadn't seen him in years.

"I think he's a lawyer now, but I don't know. My dad used to talk to Sangok's uncle." Yue shrugs. She looks up in the rear view mirror. "Oh shoot!"

"What's wrong?"

"My eyeliner is smudging, that's what's wrong!" She grabs her bag from the backseat and digs through it with both hands. "Take the wheel Katara."

"What?"

"Take the wheel!"

Katara gets out of her seatbelt and stretches over to the driver side to take the wheel. Luckily there aren't any cars ahead of them. "I can't believe you're doing this!"

Yue hums as she folds down the mirror and relines her eyes. "Can you believe that I got an eyeliner sampler set from Sephora for around forty dollars? That Marc Jacobs is not all what it's cracked up to be."

"Are you done? If you wreck Arnook's car he's going to kill you!"

She looks mortified. "Daddy's princess? Get punished? That's a good one." She closes the mirror down and takes the wheel back. "Now, where should we go first? The mall or Starbucks?"

Katara leans back in her seat and sighs. "It doesn't matter Yue."

"Good! Macy's it is then." Yue makes a sharp turn in the road and burns rubber in the process. Katara's holds on for dear life.

After spending half the day getting pulled from store to store and trying on numerous clothes, an exhausted Katara leans back against the elevator walls and rubs her sore eyes. She was dropped off here by Yue since Agni Corps was right around the corner from them, which means that she'll just go home with Zuko tonight. She mindlessly twirls the ring on her finger until the elevator stops and beeps.

Ming is at her desk typing away at her computer when she approaches her. Katara hasn't seen her in long time, she wonders where she's been.

"Oh hey karata!" She greets. Her long wavy hair is in a bun at the back of her head and she's wearing a beautiful cashmere sweater.

"Hey, where… where've you been?"

"I was sick, I had the flu. I couldn't even get out the bed." She sighs. "I'm staying at least until eight to fix everything that blonde messed up."

"Kenshin right?"

Ming gives her a look. "Yeah, that's her. Her first day was today."

"She got hired here?" Karata asks. "Zuko hired her?"

"It wasn't his doing but she's his personal assistant now."

"He's in his office now right?"

"Yeah, they haven't left yet."

"Who are they?"

"Mr. Agni and Kenshin… oh." Ming watches her bolt into the office. She probably shouldn't have said that.

Karata bursts into the room and frowns at what she sees. She doesn't know why Kenshin is sitting on Zuko's desk, she doesn't know know why she's sitting on his desk so close to him. She's the only person that can sit on his desk like that.

Upon seeing her Zuko stands. "Katara-"

"-What's she doing here?" She darts her eyes at kenshin. "Why are you here? It's seven thirty, the office closed at five."

Kenshin blinks. "Zuko and I were just-

"-Zuko?" Karata scoffs. "You let her call you by your first name?"

He only raises his hands as if he has nothing to do with that.

"I think I should go." Kenshin says. She slides off the desk she pulls her skirt down, Katara never takes her eyes off her. She watches her like she's some type of science experiment

"I think so too." Katara says with a frown.

Kenshin gathers her coat and bag and switches out of the room.

"Do you ever put your claws away?" Zuko asks. His eyes land on the ring that he put on her finger last night and his eyes shift.

"Not when it comes down to other women trying to snatch the man that I love." She takes her rightful seat on his desk. "Why was she even here?"

"My father hired her on full time."

"Fire her."

He picks up a few strands of her hair and let's them fall from his fingertips. "Why?"

"Because I don't like her." She says bluntly.

"That's not my Katara. Ozai placed her with me and so far she hasn't been a nuisance."

"So what you're telling me is that you won't get rid of her?" Zuko looks at her strangely before he pulls her on him in his lap. She shifts when his hand starts creeping higher. His hot breath in the crook os soothing but it's still a tease. His lips hover over her neck but they won't touch it no matter how much she presses against him.

"So far she hasn't done anything wrong, as a matter of fact she's highly recommended and qualified." He tells her. "Are we going to get out of here or are we going to discuss the assistant all day?" He reaches to shut off his computer. She unwillingly stands while he throws on his jacket.

"Well I am hungry…" she pats her empty stomach. "Don't you need your briefcase?"

"I don't have to take my work my home anymore, everything stays in the office now." He says while lacing his arm around her waist and opens up the door to let them out.

"Take the rest of the night off Ming." Zuko says when they make it to the receptionists desk. Katara sees that everyone else is gone for the day, she bets that they get sick of sitting behind a computer from eight to five everyday, plus during overtime too.

Ming looks up at him in surprise. "But these files need to be-"

"-it can't wait until tomorrow? Just give it to Zhao, that's what he's here for anyway."

Katara adjusts her sweater. "You should come with us to get something to eat. Did you drive today?"

"No, my boyfriend dropped me- is that an engagement ring?" Ming jolts from her seat and comes around the desk to grab katara's hand. "Oh my gosh congratulations!" She pulls Katara into a tight hug.

"Uh… thanks. I- I can't breath Ming!" Katara sputters out. Zuko doesn't try to help but he watches her facial expression the entire time.

"Sorry!" Ming lets go. You two, you're just… you two just go so well together!"

The side of Zuko's mouth turns upwards. "I know, that's why I'm marrying her." Katara won't tell Ming that she really hasn't made her decision yet. She needs time to make the right one.

"So where are we all going? I've never dined with my boss before. Are you going to Lin's?"

"No, pizza and burgers." Katara shakes her head. Ming goes to pack up.

"That isn't really what I had in mind." Zuko says. "You need better food than that Katara."

"Okay, I'm ready." Ming says after she's done with wrapping her scarf around her neck.

"By all means, let's go get a good and healthy meal from somewhere then." Katara tells Zuko when the head to the elevator. "As a matter of fact I think I want steak and seafood now, Ming?"

She taps away at her phone. "Steak and seafood sounds fine with me."

"Your wish is my command." Zuko squeezes her hand.

"That's so cute!" Ming gushes.

Zuko only squeezes Katara's hand tighter.

**.0.**

It hasn't snowed yet. It probably won't snow anytime at all this year. As a matter of fact, it hasn't snowed since her mother died. Kya's birthday is three days from now. Last year her, Sokka and Hakoda went to her gravesite with flowers and candles. She couldn't take being there. She'll never get used to her mother being gone. She watches the rain fall heavily and the full moon shine over the city. It's beautiful. Dark and beautiful.

She has a slight case of nyctophilia.

"Why are you still awake?" She asks. Strong arms wrap tightly around her chest. Soft yet meaningful kisses on her neck make her close her eyes and lean back against him.

"You haven't been sleeping through the night lately." His hands heat up on her stomach, it's comforting because it's pretty cool in the room. "What's wrong?"

"Situ quit on me." She doesn't tell him what's really worrying her. It's not him, it's not that she doesn't trust him. She just can't talk about her mother to anyone except for Sokka.

"That's good. It's about time."

"No it's not good Zuko."

"Why not?"

She turns around. "Because that means I'll have to get a new manager and I don't want to have to do that."

"So why'd he quit?"

"He wanted something new." She lies. "I think he doesn't want to be a part of the music business anymore."

"It's four in the morning Katara, I'm not really up for lies tonight." She should've known better than to think that she could lie to him about anything. He probably would've figured it out sooner or later anyway.

"He quit because he loves me."

Zuko frowns at her. "What?"

"He said that he doesn't like being around me because I make him go against everything he's ever believed in."

"Well it's a good thing that he did quit then." He puts a hand on her back and takes her back into the bedroom.

"Are you sure you didn't have anything to do with that?"

"This isn't my work. Besides that you look beat. Exactly what all did you do yesterday?"

"Well, I was woken up earlier than usual for a girls day out. I went to over two hundred department stores, trying on clothes is very tiring if you didn't know. I've been up and down stairs all day and I couldn't take a single nap. Plus, I saw that my entire stock of makeup was gone, even my Urban Decay palette."

"I wonder where it could've went?" He feigns innocence. She knows he took it and hid it somewhere.

"That's the biggest mystery ever."

"You shouldn't miss it." He pulls her into his chest. "I can always get more."

"A waste of money."

"Says the billionaire." She claws the comforter up to her neck. "Say the billionaire who has like ten cars."

"I only have five."

"Five?"

"A Ferrari, an Audi R8, a Porsche, a Mercedes, and a Aston Martin."

"Is it really mandatory to have that many cars?"

"Well not really, but I have a bit of a habit." He says it as if it's nothing. Her first car was a beetle. It was a bit out of whack and smoked sometimes but it was hers. She got it when she was sixteen, took her two years to finally pay for something on her own. She'd named it Betsy Lu, sadly Betsy Lu is somewhere in a junkyard.

"Do your parents know that you've… do they know about the ring?"

"Nope."

"Why didn't you tell them? Is it going to be a surprise?"

"They'll know after you've told me yes."

"I see." She looks up at him in the dark. "What makes you think I'm going to say yes?"

"So you're going to say no? Give it back then."

"No!" She moves away from him while clutching her hand.

"Why not?"

"Because it's mine!" She declares. "…And because I like it."

"Okay, fine. Keep it then. But I know you won't say no."

"I know I won't say no either." She responds softly. He grins into her neck when he pulls her under him.

"I'm glad he's gone." He murmurs. She can feel him lips curling up as he kisses her collar bone.

"Why?"

"Because he's in love with you, something that I didn't even think he's capable of."

"But I don't love him Zuko." She reminds him. He lowers himself down on her and exhales. "What's wrong?"

When he looks at her again his eyes are dark and serious. "There's no telling what he would've tried. I don't like even the thought of another man touching you." He runs his finge tips down her side. They trace up her thigh before he wraps her leg around his waist. Her mouth opens but no sounds come out, but her eyes slowly close and her back arches when he pressed into her.

"I don't want another man kissing you, making love to you, I don't want another man causing you to moan out the way you do." His fingers slip into the hem of the underwear.

"possessive much?"

"Possessive, selfish, dominating. Whatever you want to call it, but I don't like sharing and I don't tolerate competition."

"But there is no competition."

"There won't ever be any, will there?" He asks. His hand runs smoothly up her shoulder and to her neck.

"Of course not."

"I'd hate for there to be."

Katara doesn't say anything. If he's told her something else after that she didn't hear it. She's way too into the heated kisses he's trailing down her stomach.

The next morning they're at the Agni mansion for breakfast. Zuko has gone with Lu Ten and Iroh to pick up fresh fruit from the market since Estella, the maid who works there, had forgotten. Katara has managed to get away from a hyperactive Ursa and an egotistical Azula and sneak on up to Ozai's office.

She doesn't know why she's doing this. Wait, yes she does. She wants Kenshin gone. She doesn't like her, she doesn't trust her, she can go and work somewhere else. She hesitantly knocks on the door before she slowly goes in. Instead of finding Ozai she sees Ursa placing away some files instead.

"Oh hey Katara." She smiles warmly at her and dusts her hands off. "Are you okay? You look a tad unsettled about something." Ursa gestures her in and sits her down in one of the big arm chairs. It's way bigger than her and the leather looks like it was imported from a foreign country. Katara looks around. Everything is fine polished woods and golden objects. Multiple degrees and family paintings hang on the wall.

"It's… it's really nice in here. I knew that Mr. Agni has pretty impeccable taste but…" she looks up at the beautifully designed ceiling.

"This was all Ozai's doing. He designed the entire room, even built some of the things in it. But I'm sure you didn't come up here looking at furniture."

"It's about… it's just that I don't like Zuko's new assistant." Katara confesses. Ursa is woman just like her, she's married to an important business man. She should understand. "I want to see if Ozai wouldn't mind, you know? Getting rid of her?"

Ursa nods slowly. "Oh, I see. You're talking about Kenshin."

"You know her?"

"I don't know her personally, I just know that she used to work for the mayor and she comes highly recommended."

The mayor? Yue's father is the mayor. How come she never saw her around with any of the press?

"I already know what you're thinking- a woman like that working side by side with a man like my son. It's just trouble waiting to happen. Believe me, I've been in your shoes so many times before."

"So, you get what I'm feeling?" She asks. Ursa nods. Katara lets out a sigh of relief. "I just don't trust her. I don't like the way she looks at him, and I don't like it even more that I know she'll most likely have to be around him more than she already is."

"So you want Ozai to get rid of her?"

"Yes! Exactly!" She half exclaims. "That's exactly what I want."

"I remember being in your position when I was younger. This woman- her name was Zing Tu- was hired by Azulon. She was beautiful, smart, funny. Basically a replica of me. At that time Zuko was two years old and I was six months pregnant with Azula. I was an emotional wreck, the girl gave me hell."

Katara lightly laughs. "You thought that Zing Tu wanted Ozai?"

"Thought? I knew. Katara, a woman always knows."

"What did you do?"

"I sat down one day and I thought of two options. I could either let this woman intimidate me and have my father in law fire her and rid myself of my assumptions but to her it would make it seem like I'm threatened by her. She would win. Or, I could stay and stand my ground. I could continue to love my husband and trust him, make no room for outsiders in our marriage, not let get to me. You know?"

"Show her how whose really in charge." Katara understands. "So did she…?"

"Oh, she died."

"What? How?"

"She was in a car wreck. Her breaks wouldn't work." Ursa's eyes flash, why is she smiling? Katara decides that she doesn't want to know. "Competition will always be around Katara. You keep Zuko close, and keep that Kenshin girl even closer. Zuko was becoming a bit sloppy in his work, Ozai wants him to be ready for Friday. Zuko can't be slacking with this."

"What's happening Friday?"

"The invitations haven't went out yet, Zuko thinks it's just another boring banquet. Ozai is going to be announcing-"

"-There you two are." Azula says as she opens the door with a mischievous smile on her face that's aimed directly at Katara. Azula and Katara haven't really been speaking, not that they've ever really had a conversation but still. There's a tension between the two and Katara doesn't even know how it got there. She finally decides that it has to be about Mai.

"Look who came to join us for breakfast!" She steps aside to reveal Kenshin standing there, she's holding a tray of something that's wrapped in clear wrap.

"Good morning Mrs. Agni, Katara." She greets sweetly. A little too sweetly for katara's liking. "Zuko told me that your favorite breakfast food is sweetrolls loaded with cinnamon. I hope that I made them the way you like them."

Katara looks at Ursa. She has a look on her face that clearly asks her what she's going to do. She won't let Kenshin threaten her, she refuses to be bought up by her.

Kill her with kindness.

Besides, she may not even want Zuko. Maybe she's just being a paranoid crazy girlfriend.

"Well, I'm sure they came out just grand." Katara smiles and takes the platter away. "They're still warm, did you just bake them?"

Kenshin toys with her braided hair and nods. "I just did them this morning. I wanted them to be nice and warm, no one likes reheated sweets."

"Isn't that the truth?" Azula mocks from thec

They certainly smell delicious. She picks one up with her index finger and thumb and takes a small bite.

"That bitch is dead." She groans and flushes the toilet. "She's so dead."

"Are you done this time?" Zuko releases her hair. She's been throwing up nonstop for the past two hours. They had to leave breakfast because she kept taking with dizzy spells and had a slight fever so Zuko bought her home to rest. He lays her in his bed and tucks her in.

"I think so."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, mother." She groans as she turns onto her side. "She poisoned me, I know she did."

"No one else got sick Katara, maybe It's just you." He disappears Into the kitchen and comes back with a tall glass of ice cold orange juice and a bowl of fruits.

"It's not just me! She's trying to kill me off so that she can take you and gallop off into the sunset."

"Quit being a drama queen." He checks her forehead. "She's engaged, I saw the ring on her finger this morning. Does that calm you down at all?"

"Oh please! Just because she's engaged to someone that doesn't mean that she's loyal to them."

He sighs. "You really think she'll go as far as to try and poison you?"

"Of course I do. She doesn't like me."

"You aren't too fond of her either."

"That's because she's way too fond of you."

"How do you even know these things Katara?"

"Because I'm a woman." She takes a testing sip from her juice before she guzzles down the rest. "So when are you moving?"

"I'm not moving." He chuckles. "I thought you'd just come here."

"No." She responds. She inches back when he shakes a skinny white and red stick in his hand. Zuko sits beside her on the bed and almost forcefully sticks a thermometer in her mouth.

"Why not?" He pulls it out. "Your temperatures normal. Nothing's really wrong with you except for your head."

"Because I like house. There isn't a backyard here or a pool or anything."

"That's what you want? A big house with a white picket fence on a couple acres of land and a pool?"

"That's exactly what i want, I've always wanted that."

"You'll have it, soon."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll see." He stares at her hand. "Where's your ring?"

"It's on the dresser, I didn't want to go around your parents with it on before we really prepare them for it."

"So you do have an answer?"

"Yes, it came to me this morning. But there's something else that I should tell you." She doesn't know how he'll react to the tour, then it's over a year long. Maybe he'll come with her, it'll be a great experience for the both of them.

"And what's that?"

"It's…" she watches his hand intwine with her own. His eyes are bright and filled with passion. He's happy. "It's just that… I love you. That's what it is."

He knows that that isn't what she wanted to tell him but he smiles anyway. "I love you too."

In her mind, Katara wants both her dreams and Zuko. But deep down she knows that she can't have both.

**.0.**

"Katara!" Sonzae jogs to catch up with her. "Can I talk to you for a minute? Wow, no makeup today?"

Sonzae is the second to last person that she wants to see right now. The last person is Toph, she wants her to go to Monday Might Rumble with her. She really isn't in the mood to watch other men and women brutalize each other.

"Sonzae, hey." She tries to sound happy to see her. Uh, yeah. It just… I'm not really in a mood to be all glam and glitz today."

She nods and examines her face as they walk into the building. "I like it, but you'll have to teach me to do that winged eyeliner sometime. I really suck at it."

"It takes years and years of practice. My hands aren't that stable so I have to have a couple of drinks and complete silence to get it right." Katara presses the button for the elevator and waits in concealed impatience for it to come. She looks at Sonzae out the corner of her eye, she's watching the floors countdown and humming a light time. Katara hopes that she doesn't try to kill her in the elevator.

"Are you here for some extra practice or just for the snack room?" She tries to sound interested, get her to talk and keep her mind off of probably planning her death.

Sonzae steps into the elevator before her and presses the button for the third floor. Katara is relieved when she does that, they aren't going to the same floor.

"I left my bag for school on the third floor, I'm doing some intern work here as well." Sonzae shrugs. "Katara?"

"Yes?" She doesn't look up from her phone. She's trying to make heads or tails of this text message that Zuko has sent to her. All he said was Italianate estate, whatever the hell that means.

"Can I… can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"When I told you about my dad you asked me if my father was Yon Rha and I told you yes. It's just been on my mind for a while now, but you looked like you knew him or something. Did you?"

Shit.

Katara slowly looks up. Sonzae is staring at her with an intensity that she's never used on her before. "I didn't know him personally, I just knew him from the news. I remember them broadcasting it all over the televisions."

"I see. I'm sorry about that, it's just… I still haven't gotten over it."

"I understand." Katara nods. "I still haven't gotten over losing my mother. It's hard a lot of times but I know she wouldn't want my sulking around and trying to find the answers to life at the bottom of a bourbon bottle."

"You're right about that." Sonzae quietly agrees. "I'll see you Thursday." She steps out of the elevator and more people load on. There's a feeling in Katara's chest that she hasn't felt in a long time.

Guilt.

When she bursts into the studio the last person she expects to see is Situ seated on the 'U' shaped sofa with slew of paperwork in front of him. He looks surprised to see her bug it's instantly washed away from his face.

"Hey." She makes an attempt on sounding like she's fine, but it's Situ and he can't tell when she's lying

"You're about the last person that I expected to see here." He says, gathering up his paperwork. "I was just about to leave."

"No you weren't, don't try and avoid me Situ. You're still my manager. You've been ducking and dodging my texts and calls. What's wrong with you?" She slings her bag into the swiveling chair and pulls out a flash drive. She sits less than gracefully down onto the sofa and sticks the drive into the laptop. Asking what's wrong with Situ is like asking a blind person if it's nighttime or daytime.

"Because it's best that I'm nowhere around you." He says with a strange tone.

"So you're just going to back out of the two year contract and go do God knows what somewhere else." She snorts and pulls up her album to play. She came here to be in peace and to write, she wants to listen to her music to make sure that she doesn't mimic herself. That and she's never heard it herself. The music surrounds

"I'm not backing out Katara. I setting myself free from you and Zuko's public displays of affection that I know are soon to come within my proximity. Kind of sucks seeing the woman that you love all wrapped up with another man." Well, that's a shocker.

"You don't have to leave, just stay. We're both adults here. " she says. "Your starting to remind myself of me." She takes her book and pen from her bag and curls up in one corner of the sofa.

Situ lays his papers back down. "Fine. Just, stay on your side of the room."

"How childish."

"I would rather call it precautionary."

"Sure." The music begins to play, it's slow and soothing. She readies her pen, maybe she shouldn't have put the music on. This song is pretty… graphic.

_In the land of Gods and Monsters_

_I was an Angel_

_Living in the garden of evil_

_Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I needed_

_Shining like a fiery beacon_

_You got that medicine I need_

_Fame, Liquor, Love give it to me slowly_

_Put your hands on my waist, do it softly_

_Me and God, we don't get along so now I sing_

_No one's gonna take my soul away_

_I'm living like Jim Morrison_

_Headed towards a fucked up holiday_

_Motel sprees sprees and I'm singing_

_'Fuck yeah give it to me this is heaven, what I truly_

_Want'_

_It's innocence lost_

_Innocence lost_

_In the land of Gods and Monsters_

_I was an Angel_

_Looking to get fucked hard_

_Like a groupie incognito posing as a real singer_

_Life imitates art_

_You got that medicine I need_

_Dope, shoot it up, straight to the heart please_

_I don't really wanna know what's good for me_

_God's dead, I said 'baby that's alright with me'_

_No one's gonna take my soul away_

_I'm living like Jim Morrison_

_Headed towards a fucked up holiday_

_Motel sprees sprees and I'm singing_

_'Fuck yeah give it to me this is heaven, what I truly_

_Want'_

_It's innocence lost_

_Innocence lost_

_When you talk it's like a movie and you're making me_

_Crazy -_

_Cause life imitates art_

_If I get a little prettier can I be your baby?_

_You tell me, "life isn't that hard"_

"Don't forget that you have a show in uptown Friday at seven." Situ says. "Don't be late."

"I won't." She continues to watch him write on the papers.

_No one's gonna take my soul away_

_I'm living like Jim Morrison_

_Headed towards a fucked up holiday_

_Motel sprees sprees and I'm singing_

Three times she's caught him staring at her, every time he only looks away like he's mad at the world. It's not bothering her or anything, but it should be. His lean muscles flex through his shirt as he rubs his face in aggravation.

_'Fuck yeah give it to me this is heaven, what I truly_

_Want'_

_It's innocence lost_

_Innocence lost._

She looks back down at her blank paper, she hasn't written anything this entire time. She goes to retrieve her water from her bag, to get away from Situ's gazes. When she turns around with her water bottle he's in front of her, closer than he's ever been.

_Looking up from underneath_

_Fractured moonlight on the sea_

_Reflections still look the same to me_

_As before I went under_

_And it's peaceful in the deep_

_Cathedral where you cannot breathe_

_No need to pray, no need to speak_

_Now I am under all_

_And it's breaking over me_

_A thousand miles down to the sea bed_

_Found the place to rest my head_

_Never let me go_

_Never let me go_

_Never let me go_

_Never let me go_

_And the arms of the ocean are carrying me_

_And all this devotion was rushing out of me_

_In the crushes of heaven for a sinner like me_

_But the arms of the ocean delivered me_

_Though the pressure's hard to take_

_It's the only way I can escape_

_It seems a heavy choice to make_

_And now I am under all_

_And it's breaking over me_

_A thousand miles down to the sea bed_

_Found the place to rest my head_

_Never let me go_

_Never let me go_

_Never let me go_

_Never let me go_

"Situ, what-" Katara takes a step back, her back hits the wall and now she's trapped. His eyes are glazing and his lips are set in a thin line. He steps closer, if that's even possible, but he doesn't say anything. When he does his voice is low and dare she say it, sultry.

"This is why I can't work with you anymore Katara. I just- this won't work for me." His hands find her hips and holds them firmly.

_And the arms of the ocean are carrying me_

_And all this devotion was rushing out of me_

_In the crushes of heaven for a sinner like me_

_But the arms of the ocean delivered me_

His lips part over hers, her eyes grow wild at the action. Her hands shoot up to his chest to push him off but he pulls away. He look down at her with conflicted eyes and presses her closer. There's a longing there that she never knew existed, a longing for her that she never noticed until now. He's got such a strong grip on her.

I_'m slipping underneath_

_So cold and so sweet_

"I not going to rape you if that's what you think." His hand brushes across her cheek and tucks her hair behind her ear. "You're beautiful."

"Stop." She breathes. "Situ, I'm en-"

"-This is all I want Katara, even though I know I'm not supposed to have it." His eyes are warm and his thumb strokes her cheek all while lowering his head down to hers. "You feel something for me too, just don't- just let me see."

"No-" it's too late. His lips are on her again. He's kissing her like she's his long lost love, hands scaling up and down her back, on her sides and hips. He pulls away only a little and kisses her bottom lip before taking them fully again. It's deep, needful, passionate. Her eyes unwillingly slip close and she welcomes him.

This is wrong.

She can't do this, why's she doing this? To her relationship? To Zuko?

It's like he's filling something inside of her, something that she can't really describe.

But she kisses him back, she can feel him smiling into it, groaning when her hands reach to his face to deepen it. She's losing herself, she can't do this. She pulls away from him, he looks down at her in confusion.

_And the arms of the ocean so sweet and so cold_

_And all this devotion I never knew at all_

_In the crushes of heaven for a sinner released_

_And the arms of the ocean delivered me_

_I'm not giving up _

_I'm just giving in _

The door to the studio opens. "Katara?"

Upon hearing her name called she breaks away from Situ. Her voice catches in her throat and her heartbeat quickens when she recognizes whose called her name.

"Oh no." She breathes. The person is enraged as they slam the door and head towards the two.

.**0.**

**Songs used: Lana Del Rey - Gods and Monsters**

**Florence and the machine: Never Let Me Go**

**Sucky cliffy thing!**

**I tried to make it all dramatic. **

**Read and Review**

**Also, does anyone know how to upload pics to fan fiction? Btw, I won't be giving up on any of my fics anymore. **

**BTW since you've all been so wonderful, I'm going to let you in on a secret. This story will have a sequel. **

**But, I'm not giving out any previews yet. Maybe after I get to 200 reviews. **

**Anyways, QUESTION TIME:**

**Do you think that Katara will ever tell Sonzae about Yon Rha?**

**Who walked in on Katara and Situ at the studio?**

**Do you all think that Katara marry Zuko?**

**How do you all feel about Katara and Zuko in this fix?**


	22. Chapter 22

**This is not a chapter. It's a disclaimer.**

**Now, if you do not like my fanfic do not read it. If you have favorited my stories and are following them too and have them on alert just unfollow me completely. It's a fanfic, its someone's own personalized portrayal of tv show and movie characters. If you don't like what all I throw in my stories, how Katara is, or whatever else then that's your problem. It isn't real! The show isn't real! This is a fanfic that I want to do my way! It's a difference between helpful criticism and just being plain ignorant on reviews and in the messages box.**

**I understand that I can't tamper with anyone's opinion but still. It's annoying the way some readers say I better do this or that, how they complain about a chapter being bad, or how Katara is OOC.**

**It's my fanfic, I can do whatever I want with it. This has been the last, I won't be updating this story or any other story again.**

**XxToToXx**


	23. Chapter 23

**Story Title:** I Won't Give Up

**Author: **XxToToXx

**Full Summary**:After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!

**A:n- if you don't like my fics don't read them then! When I update just ignore it since they're so overly dramatic and cliche! You all remember when I said that? Yeah, it was because I was having a moment and I saw a disrespectful review that I didn't like. It wasn't directed at any of my readers, well, it was one who was a guest and it was very... vulgar. **

**So I won't be quitting anything. Sorry for ruffling your feathers, I'm continuing my stories. I'm being demanded for another Naruro fanfic -_- something that I literally haven't written in years. Searching for an idea for that is like looking for my phone when it's on silent. I have zero ideas for that series, probably because I'm so stuck on this avatar stuff! **

**I know this story does have some drama, but that's how life is you know? Real relationships and bonds don't come easy. **

… **plus I like making Katara and Zuko mad. It's just so funny to me! Because Katara gets so mad and she's such a protective and loyal person. She's the type of girlfriend that .… idk. I can't really explain her. She stands up for what she believes in, she's strong, she still has that protective motherly nature and she's still a bit vulnerable. She's still human and she messes up a lot and she's very emotional in this fanfic but she's still a little guarded. When it comes down to strangers she isn't very open to them. To keep those mushy emotions from being exposed, she'll just cover it with anger or try to drown it out. I know she's a little more violent than usual but I got so tired of her being so girly and too soft. To me she's perfect. **

**Zuko is still Zuko except this time he's a bit more lively. He's warmer to Katara, if it were any other subject he'd hate her off the bat but it took time for Zuko and Katara to actually become a real couple. But (PLOT TWIST) there's still some shades of Zuko that haven't been introduced to you all yet. **

**Azula is semi sane for once. I didn't want her to be all monstrous in this fanfic. For once she's kind of a good guy. Though her and Katara never really had that one on one. Ty Lee is still Ty Lee. **

**Mai is… she's a conniving little devil isn't she? **

**I didn't know a lot about Lu Ten because he really didn't appear in the series so I had to improvise- high school and college jock, a suave bachelor, happy go lucky, the joker that's living out his youth- just like Iroh. I added them in because I wanted Zuko to have a family, a real family. It's different- I know. **

**Let's talk about the extra characters like Kouga, Ming, Situ, and Kenshin. Kouga, I just like him. He's so handsome for a cartoon character plus he's going to become of use to me in the future with this fic. Ming. I liked Ming so I grew her up to the age of 21- no buck teeth, no wild hair. Shes very beneficial. Now, situ's character is needed. It wouldn't be good if we didn't have some competition. That's why I made him Katara's manager. Kenshin is… she's that female assistant who no one wants to work with their boyfriend. Is she really after Zuko? Who knows. My lips are sealed. **

**I made Yue and Katara best friends, took out Suki until… lol. I always wanted Katara and Yue to be best buds. When you think of Yue I want you to think about Caroline Forbes, or a super hyper teenage cheerleader captain. **

**Anyways, I think I'm getting better with my proofreading and sentences and things like that. I'm still updating from an iPhone, since the MacBook is entirely too high but I find my phone more convenient. I can write anywhere. **

**And I read your reviews and messages, I just didn't have time to reply personally. But i value your support. **

**Also, please check out my other story Caged Birds. **

**Thank you all! **

**Twenty Two**

"Where were you? I was looking all over! Now i do hope that Zuko plants a GPS chip on you, you're always running off somewhere!" Yue stomps in. She pauses when she sees the small space. Between Katara and Situ. Katara realizes that he isn't holding her, he isn't even looking at her. His eyes are fixed on Yue, maybe he's mad that she's disturbed them.

Katara is glad she did. She moves away from Situ and grabs her bag. "W-What did you need?"

"It's eleven thirty, you were supposed to meet me at The Ritz for ten thirty." She throws her arms up, expensive bracelets dangling as she does so. "Hello Situ." She greets dryly.

"Yue." He nods in acknowledgment to her.

"I am so sorry!" Katara hits her forehead. "Come on, let's go." She dashes out of the room and yanks Yue along with her.

"Okay, can you please tell me what's going on?" Yue pushes her hair back out of her face and reties her scarf around her neck. Katara hasn't said a single word since they left the studio, she wants to get as far away from there as possible.

What has she done?

Why did she do that?

She has to tell Zuko, she can't keep this from him. If she does keep it from him then it would just make things worse. She could've stopped it, she should've stopped it.

"Katara!" Yue spins her around and shakes her. "What happened?"

She only shakes her head, she can only imagine how she looks. She probably looks like she just witness her entire family massacred. the pedestrians pass them by in their own worlds completely ignoring them.

Yue shakes her again. "Did he do something to you? I'll call Sokka and-"

"He didn't do anything to me! Kind of, he just… he kissed me. That's what he did." Katara jerks from her grip and puts her hood over her head. She crossed the street to her car and unlocks it.

"Oh my God, I knew this would happen!" Yue gushes when she's in the passenger seat fully strapped in.

"I'm a horrible person!"

"No you aren't, you're a great person. Now, can you like drive? Toph's waiting. Did you kiss him back?"

"I did, I didn't mean to." She starts the engine and pulls off. "Zuko might kill me for this, I shouldn't have done that. It was just… I feel disgusting!"

"No you aren't Katara. You're human. You've made a mistake, just calm down and take some deep breaths."

"I'm okay. I'm alright." She nods. She's quiet he rest of the way to the hotel. Yue goes on and on about something, occasionally stoping to reply to a text or call.

She walks quietly behind Yue through the lobby, phone planted in her hand and is on Zuko's contact. Toph is waiting at a table in the back of the dining area in the hotel with three plates loaded with food. She belches rather loudly, just as they're sitting down.

"Took you guys long enough, what's with SugarQueen?" Toph throws her head in Katara's direction. "Looks like she lost her favorite hairbrush or something."

"She just had a regular human moment that she feels dreadful about." Yue reaches for a egg roll off of Toph's plate but Toph moves back just in time.

"Go get your own Miss Priss and Primp!" Toph stuffs her roll into her mouth

"I do feel terrible about it." Katara mumbles. "I won't fell good about it until I tell Zuko."

"Don't tell me you're scared."

"He'll get mad, you've never seen Zuko when he's mad."

Yue's head snaps up from her phone. "He doesn't hit you or anything does he?"

"No! Of course not, he's not like that."

"He'd better not be." Yue flips her hair and goes to get her food, leaving Katara behind.

"So what did you do?" Toph asks her. "What do you feel so dreadful about?"

"My manager kissed me."

Toph whistles. "Did you kiss him back?"

"Accidentally."

"Wow."

"I'm a monster."

"No you're not. If you were in love with him, if you would've slept with him then you may be close to monster. You didn't do any of those things did you?"

"No! Of course not!" She blurts. "I'm not crazy Toph."

"I never said you were. Just remember that relationships are based on trust. If you don't have trust then you don't have anything."

Katara looks down at her phone screen. "You're right." She gets up to make the phone call.

**.0.**

Zuko twirls his pen around on his desk. He picks it up and types it repeatedly in utter boredom. There's nothing for him to do here, he doesn't know why. There's usually always something for him to do. All his papers are filed, his phone calls have already been made and he's sent out all his emails. Lu Ten is nowhere to be found, Ming is outside asleep at her desk, and Kenshin is somewhere around here. He doesn't know, he isn't her keeper.

Azula' plan was to kick off altercations between Kenshin and Katara. Katara surprised him by being courteous to Kenshin and the sweet rolls that she bought for her. They even exchanged pleasing conversations at the table. That was, of course, before Katara took sick in a mysterious fashion. First she started coughing, then there was stomach pain and then she just started throwing up. She's convinced that Kenshin tried to poison her. Zuko doesn't believe that, in fact Kenshin wants to be friends with Katara.

Katara doesn't want to be friends with Kenshin.

He looks up at the clock on the wall. It's twelve thirty, he's been here since seven. He's been bored out of his mind for five hours. Katara didn't answer her phone when he called and texted her. He figures that she's in rehearsal or something. Right now he's in s bind, she's been stalling on giving him an answer. He's starting to think that she doesn't want to marry him.

Zuko shakes the thought from his mind. It's enough that Hakoda put him through hell just to get his permission and blessing to marry his daughter. At first Hakoda said no, but then he explained why. Zuko was interrogated all day, then they got him drunk. He wanted to see if he's s violent drunk, a happy drunk, or whatever other drunk their is. That was also done because a drunk man never lies. This went on from six in the morning to eleven that night.

His ringing phone breaks the silence of the room. He's about to ignore it until he sees that it's Katara, he immediately answers.

"Zuko!" Her voice is full of surprise. "I need to talk to you."

"I'm about to head out to lunch with some of my father's colleagues. What's wrong?" He doesn't tell her exactly where he's going or who he's going to see.

"… I'll, I'll just tell you later on. I have to go." She hangs up before she could get her sentence out completely.

Three knocks are made on his office door before Kenshin steps in with a table. "Before you go I wanted to get your confirmation on this order. I've already spoke to Mr. Zing and he's ready to close the deal."

"How much did he settle for?"

"The original price was for one hundred and fifty three million, but I suppose he realized that he'd never be able to get another client so he will take your offer." Kenshin pulls up something on the tablet and pecks away at the screen.

"Lu Ten hasn't popped up yet?"

"He's taken the day off to get fitted for a new suit for your fathers banquet Friday, which reminds me." She puts her hands behind her back. "Your mother called earlier while I was faxing paperwork and she says that she and Azula, along with an uncle Iroh will be at your condo at nine sharp on Wednesday morning to handpick their wear for Friday."

Zuko cringes into his coat. Shopping with Ursa, Azula, and Iroh will take all day. They never know when enough is enough.

"Also, they Insist that Katara joins them." She continues punctually, a little dryness in her tone. Don't get him wrong, Zuko loves Katara dearly. Ursa, Azula, Iroh, and Katara in a mall is a death trap.

"I'll make sure to… remember that, thank you."

Kenshin continues even as they're out of the office. "Is she recovering from her sickness?"

"She's fine, we think it was just a bug." Zuko tells her. "Hopefully she never gets like that again."

"That's good to hear, for a second there I was starting to think that she thinks I poisoned her." Kenshin remembers the breakfast and shudders. "The way she looked at me… boy if looks could kill!"

"Well, I'm sure she's over it by now. She understands. Ming!" Zuko pounds his fist on the desk a few times. The woman jumps in her chair, well out of her chair.

She scrambles back up to the desk, hair all over her head and grabs the non ringing phone. "Thank- Thank you for calling Agni's offices- corporations- Zuko's office! I mean-"

"-The phone didn't ring Ming." Zuko takes the phone from her and hangs it up. Ming's been acting strangely lately. She's been late, slacking in her work, falling asleep at work, it's unlike her.

"Sorry, I dozed off a bit." She apologize. "I mean a couple of hours."

"A bit? You were sleep for two hours, no one called or came by. What's with you?" He asks flatly.

"I'm cramming like crazy. Finals are coming up and it's like I've missed all the semester. If you didn't know, becoming a surgeon is rough work."

"I'm sure Katara took that course, she wouldn't mind helping you out."

"Katara went to med school?"

"Twice. It shouldn't be hard for her."

"I hope not, I need all the help I can get."

"I've got to go to that meeting with Ozai and Hakoda, if Katara comes by just tell her I'm with Zhao and the others."

"Hakoda as in Katara's father?" Kenshin looks between Ming and Zuko. "Would I be needed for said meeting?"

Ming looks suspiciously at her.

Zuko checks his watch but he still catches Ming's expression and thinks nothing of it. "Actually no, it's more of personal matters-"

"-Personal marital matters too, might I add." Ming says with pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

"But if you'd stay here and help Ming catch up with her work that'd be convenient." He disappears down the hallway to the elevators.

"Of course, Mr. Agni." Kenshin says with a frown. Ming laughs and Kenshin turns around. "What's funny Ling?"

"Firstly, my name is Ming, and my boss is off limits." Ming pulls out a spare compact from her desk and freshens her face.

Kenshin smiles. "I have no idea what you're talking about Fing."

"Okay. How about this? You don't talk to me and I don't talk to you and you could at least not make yourself so obvious." She snaps down her compact and glares at the woman.

"How about this?" Kenshin leans on the desk. "How about keeping your freckled little nose out of things that don't concern you?"

Ming scoffs. "Zuko doesn't want you."

"We'll see about that." She replies darkly. "Now! Should we begin filing these papers or should we start by setting those arrangements for the banquet?"

**.0.**

"So, you're Zuko's father huh? That's a fine young man you have here." Hakoda shakes Ozai's hand. "This is my son sokka."

Ozai stands to shake their hands. "A pleasure to finally the both of you. I understand it that you're both employed by the CIA?"

"You've heard right. I'm actually the headman, Sokka here is a secret agent." Hakoda sits across from Ozai at their own special table. "From what Zuko tells me, and from what Katara has told me as well you're quite the businessman."

"Is there anything good at the place?" Sokka leans across and nudges Zuko with his elbow. "I can't read any of this, it's like it's in a different language."

"Just look at the pictures." Zuko whispers back. He and Sokka have grown to become good friends, but Zuko knows that he still isn't too sure about him marrying his little sister. They're so close, Zuko wishes he had that bond with Azula.

Sokka scans over the menu, he flips the pages. "Screw this. What are you getting?"

"The seafood works with Fire Spirits."

"That's like two hundred dollars!" Sokka's eyes bulge when he finds the meal.

"It's free."

"Why? Are you gonna run out?"

"No, my mother owns the place."

"She's got good taste then." He nods around the elegantly designed took in approval. "I'll have a little bit of everything!"

While Sokka devours his food, guzzles down the sweet juices and looks for more food to order Zuko keeps up with Hakoda and Ozai's conversation. Katara should've been here but Hakoda specifically said that it should just be the men for this one.

"You're son wants to marry my daughter. You have to understand that she's my only daughter, she's my baby girl. I want to make sure that I'm giving her away to a good man."

"I have a daughter as well, she's in college studying law. Though I don't think that Azula has any intentions on marrying anyone anytime soon, when the time comes I'm sure I'll be cautious as well."

"So far as I can tell Zuko loves my daughter. I haven't seen her this happy in a long time, so your boy must be doing something right. I assume that your wife and daughter have been informed on the engagement."

Zuko nearly chokes on his wine. Ozai only knows about it because he asked him how he felt about him and Katara getting married. Ming knows because she saw the ring. Sokka and Hakoda know because he'd asked their permission to marry her. Hopefully, just hopefully, no one has told Ursa yet. He isn't ready for her to know just yet. He wonders if she ever got her Xanax refilled.

"I don't think she's ready for this news just yet." Ozai glances at Zuko. "I don't think that she's ready. She's become quite close to Katara, she treats her as She's her own."

"We've decided not to tell her until she's completely calm and collected, she gets excited easily." Zuko nods.

"Is your mom like… does she look almost exactly like you?" Sokka asks. "Is she s little on the tall side, looks like one of those underwear models?"

"Yes, why? Have you met her before?"

"Does she drive a red Porsche?"

"Yes, why Sokka?"

Sokka points to the doorway. "Because she just walked in."

**.0.**

"So… please be honest. Do you think that an all white wedding will be a bit cliche, too traditional?" Yue taps her pen on her paper. "I am so stuck between these colors. I want a beautiful winter wedding, but I also want a blue themed one."

"How about cream, gold, and a less intense shade of blue. Or how about royal blue and gold? They all match so there's endless possibilities." Katara flips a page in her book. She looks up to see Yue scribbling away in her tablet. It breaks her heart really, she won't be able to attend her best friend and brothers wedding. She won't ruin Yue's moment by throwing the tour on her, she's so happy about planning her wedding.

"You are absolutely right. I'm thinking a dusty gold, two shades darker than royal blue and hints of cream." She turns a couple of pages. "The bridesmaids dresses will be blue, I'm seeing elegant floor length flowing dresses with beautiful embroidery."

"That sounds great Yue, have you considered being bought to the event in a chariot? You've always wanted that."

"Yes! I totally forgot! Ugh, where'd I be without you?" Yue lays across Katara's lap.

"Lost, pulling your hair out and become a prebridezilla." Katara laughs. "We should do something Saturday night."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. We could go ice skating, it can be a double date. You and Sokka, me and Zuko. You know what? I'm going to invite Ming, she's so nice. Toph doesn't like the ice so she'll just say no."

"Ming? Zuk's secretary?"

"Yeah, that's her."

"She's single isn't she?"

"No, she's got a boyfriend. What makes you ask?"

"I was going to say that maybe we can hook her up with that bartender from the club, what's his name again?"

"Kouga, I think he's-"

"-Okay, you know what? Let's just stop this." Yue slams her tablet and pen down on the table. "Just stop it Katara."

"Stop what?"

"Stop acting like you're alright!" She jolts up and positions her hands on her hips. "This Situ thing happened merely hours ago and you're trying to cover up what you're feeling by helping me make plans that's like a year from now." She shifts to one foot. "You hate planning things Katara."

"I'm just nervous alright? I'm going to hide out here until Zuko gets off from work."

"And that's like in thirty minutes. So you're scared to go home?"

"A teensy bit."

"Situ?"

"Exactly."

Yue sighs. "You can't run forever. You have to face this problem. How much long before he quits?"

"It's supposed to be as soon as he gets someone to replace him, but I bet now it's going to be sooner than that."

"Good riddance."

"I'd better get going. I'm supposed to meet Zuko at my house. I don't wanna be stuck in all that getting off traffic." She stuffs her books into her bag. "May as well get this over with."

"Or you could not tell him."Yue suggest as they walk to the door.

"I can't do that. I can't keep this from him he's been too good to me."

"That's true, but I'm just saying. Call me as soon as it's over, and I want graphic details too!"

"I promise I won't leave anything out" Katara promises.

When she makes it home and changes out of her heavy clothing she sits in the living room and waits on edge until the doorbell rings. She stands on her toes to look through the peephole. She takes a deep breath and unlocks the door to let Zuko in.

"Please tell me that you haven't taken with a nervous breakdown already." He steps inside and takes off his coat. Katara closes the door and turns down the heater.

"I see whatever's going on you've tried to eat your way through it." He says when he finds empty take out boxes on the in table. "But at least you're eating."

"It's about Situ." She begins.

"Thought he quit."

"He has, well at least not yet. I really don't know where to start with this."

He turns around with a serious expression. "Start with what?"

"Situ maybe have done something that crossed the business boundaries and-"

"- And what? Did he touch you? Did he tell something he shouldn't have?"

"Just promise me that you won't get upset-"

"- I won't make any promises to that!"

"The last time you got mad you nearly burned my house down." She holds his hands in hers. "Just stay calm this time, alright?"

"Katara."

"Yes."

"As much as I appreciate and value your temper coaching I would really like it if you just got to the point." He says in an even tone. Toby whines in the kitchen, Katara has forgotten to feed him.

She hesitates a moment before the words spill out of her mouth. "I went to the studio to write and listen to my music and he was already there. Everything was fine until I got up and went to my bag, when I turned around he was there and he…"

Zuko's eyes narrow. "He what?"

"He kissed me."

"He did what?"

She drops his hands and moves away. 'Now Zuko, remember about being calm-"

"- Tell me how I can be calm when he to made a move on you. I knew this was going to happen, I told you this would happen. I'll kill him."

"No, you can't kill him Zuko." She pulls him back to her when he tries to leave. "It's serious but it isn't that serious for you to go to jail over."

"The thing is Katara, I told you about him. I told you to get a new manager before something like this could happen. Maybe if you would have listened we wouldn't be in this predicament now!"

"So what are you trying to imply?" She questions. "I hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking!"

He scoffs.

"I cannot believe you!" She shoves him away from her. "How could you even think that?"

"Why didn't you get rid of him when I first told you about him Katara? I told you I'm a man, I know when a man wants something!"

"I don't care who wants me Zuko the only person that I want is you, and for you to try and accuse me-"

"-I didn't accuse you of anything!"

"You may as well! You're beating around the bush about it!"

"I've never accused you Katara. Know since you don't want me to kill him I'll make it so that he won't ever be able to get a job in this city, better yet the entire world." Zuko pulls out his phone, Katara takes it from him.

"You don't need to ruin his life Zuko."

"Why not?" He asks. "It can be done in less than ten minutes."

"Like I said, this is serious but it isn't that serious! I knew I shouldn't have told you this, I knew you'd overreact."

He's rattled at her words. "There you go, there you go defending him! If you would've just got rid of him like I told you to!"

"You're blind to the fact that Kenshin is still moseying around your office in six inch heels and bustiers. I told you to get rid of her since Ember Island and what did you do? You told Ozai to put her on full time when I told you that I didn't like her." She retorts. He only looks at her like she's crazy.

She follows him into the kitchen. "Then she poisoned me with those sweet roll things from hell! I bet she put blackberry in them-"

"-just what makes you think that she hates you that much?"

"Because I have you and she wants you, that's why!" She throws her hands up in the air in frustration. "Call it a woman's intuition, you have yours and I have mine."

"How did this go from a fight about your manager kissing you to Kenshin and what she wears to the office? Everything's a fight now isn't it?" He grips onto her shoulder and shakes her before yanking his hands away like she's burned him.

"We fight Zuko, of course we're going to fight and yell and curse each other because that's how we get our point across! That's what we do! What do you want? Do you want some fairytale make believe bullshit relationship? You may not know this but a relationship without fights and without shit like this isn't real. If it's perfect it isn't real!"

"You're crazy, you're crazy but you're right." Zuko says lowly. "But when I tell you-"

_Ring…ring…ring _

His phone rings back to back in her hand, when she looks down at the screen she glares up at him.

"Well, speak of the devil! Let me guess, she's calling you -afterwork hours at that- because she can't seem to find some bullshit paperwork." She looks down at the screen and her fingers tighten around the phone. It's an iPhone 5s and she knows that if she squeezes too hard it'll probably shatter in her hand. The phone continues to ring back to back. Amber eyes and cobalt eyes leave the device. It's causing such a tension in the room, adding more fuel to the fire.

Katara doesn't answer it. She doesn't answer it and confront Kenshin about the obvious, she doesn't do anything that she would normally. She doesn't do the things that she did with Jet. She clutches the phone in her hand and sends it flying across the room into the china cabinet, glass shatters everywhere. She doesn't have to go over to see that the phone has been completely destroyed.

At least the ringing has stopped.

"You're out of your mind, was that even necessary Katara?" He rushes into the dining room and kicks the glass out of his way with his foot, shuffling around to find the device.

"Don't you get it? We're bad for each other Zuko. Every time, it never fails. Look at you, you were ready to go and kill a man because he kissed me, you're ready to take away everything he has-" she sees the blood tricking down his hand when he finally finds the battered phone. "-Let me heal you."

"I'm fine." He replies quickly. "It's just a cut. You're right, I'm bad for you just like you're bad for me." He takes calculated steps towards her until her back is pressed against the wall. His enraged eyes bore down into hers and he grans her arms to keep her in place. "I'll do whatever I have to to keep you, no matter whose hurt in the process, no matter how many years of schooling and years of building a career I have to take from some other man. That's the part you don't understand Katara. I have everything to lose- my money, cars, job, diplomas, my house and even my inheritance. But you know what? I don't care because you make me not care about any of that."

"A man with nothing to lose is a man that should be feared even by the devil himself. You're Toxic, Zuko." He's bad for her, he turns her into a totally different person. She breaks him and sends him over the edge just like he does her.

"You can't no include yourself Katara. You've damned near beat a pregnant woman to death. you're violent, you're unruly, untamable, far too outspoken and even a pain in the ass sometimes but you're the poison that I can't get enough of." He tears away from her and bursts through the bathroom that's across the hall to wash his hands free of the blood.

"Well call me a sadist then because you know what? I don't feel bad about it, I'll do it again if I have to." She shakes her head. "Why stay then? Since I'm so much trouble why're you even with me?"

"Because I love you for who you are, that's why. I accept your flaws and I look past this tough exterior that you have Katara!" He turns the water off and wipes his hands off A towel.

"How poetic. The only man that worried about is the only man that I love and the man that one day I'm going to marry. I don't care about who else wants me or loves me."

"Exactly." He sighs. "We'll fix it. We have to, ill deal with Kenshin."

She nods. "This entire thing isn't going to be easy. May as well pick the right person to go through hell with."

"Are we interrupting something?"

The two look out to the dining room to see Kenshin standing there along with Situ.

**.0.**

**I don't know why, but I felt like a fight between Katara and Zuko was needed in this chapter but they had so many unsaid things to get out. **

**also, don't expect an update on friday's or saturday's and **

**i really only update after seven oclock.**

**i mean it's just to make it convinient for my readers**


	24. Chapter 24

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Authors Note: I'm sorry, but I don't think that I really like this chapter. But I've made a tumbler and all the photos of this chapter are on there including a shot of Ursa. I thought it'd be neat to have a visual of the characters if they were in real times like these. Maybe I can do a video on YouTube or something. I don't know. Anyway, I don't know much about tumbler but I think my username is XxToToXx or snookems **

**Twenty Three**

"You better have a great reason to be in my house Kenshin." Katara says darkly in the kitchen. Situ left a few moments ago, all he wanted was some release papers signed and while he was here she could see the trouble that Zuko was having to keep from ripping him to shreds. Now he's outside rummaging around in his car for something. She wishes that he would hurry up. She doesn't know how long she can stay in this room with Kenshin without ripping her eyes out.

"I came to bring these." She digs in her purse and pulls out a stack of white papers. "I knew that he would need them before tomorrow and he wasn't home so-"

"-You tried to go to his house?" She can't believe that, but then again she can.

"These are important documents Katara. He didn't answer his phone when i tried calling him and Ming said that he'd be here. I think that something's wrong with his phone."

"You mean this phone?" Katara holds up the white broken device. "I think I'm the cause of that."

"I'm sure."

"I don't like you, Kenshin." Katara leans on the island with one arm and her other hand is set on her hip. "I don't like you not one bit."

"That's so bad, I thought that maybe we could be friends." She looks heartbroken.

"I bet you did." She takes the papers and places them on the countertop. "That all you came for?"

"Basically yes." She smiles and shows off her perfectly white teeth, it makes Katara sick. I

"Then get out of my house."

"Katara." Zuko warns her with a threatening tone when he makes it back in the house. "Put them away."

By them he means the claws. Katara doesn't think that she'll ever be able to put the claws up as long as she's with Zuko.

"Yes Master." She says dramatically as she brushes past Kenshin and heads upstairs to her room. She ties her hair up and changes into her night clothing. She feeds Toby a few chocolate pies, it's unhealthy but he's out of food and this just happens to be his favorite. He's growing fast. He's up to her knee now, but then again she is pretty short.

Zuko stills into the room with a set of keys and some long papers in his hands. He stops when he sees Toby rolling in the bed. "I hope he's not sleeping in the bed."

"Well, you haven't been having the best of luck lately." She shakes out Toby's blanket and lays it next to her spot in her bed. "You can always sleep next to him."

"No."

"Why not? I sleep with him all the time."

"Because he's a dog, Katara. Dogs belong in doghouses that are outside." He flips the pages more and scans over them.

"What are those? Let me guess, it's a rough draft novel about how she's absolutely smitten by you?"

"I'm going to tell Ozai about the situation with Kenshin in the morning. Most likely he'll give her a little bit of time to find somewhere else to work, which shouldn't be that hard. These are property papers by the way."

She inks a few times. "Property papers as in you're moving?"

"I don't know yet. We're going to be looking at it tomorrow."

"We?"

"Me and you, I've been given the rest of the week off. I don't know why." He gives her the papers to look at.

"Maybe he's considering firing you so-" her eyes widen. "This says that there's sixteen bathrooms and ten bedrooms." She flips through the papers, not looking for anything but a price and a location but there isn't one. What does he need that much space for?

Zuko unbuttons his shirt and tosses it to the floor by the bathroom door. "I know."

"You're getting an estate? I thought that you I was going to stay with you."

"So you really want to give up your house? When I asked you you said you'd never part with it." Zuko shoves Toby out of the way and down to the foot of the bed, only for Katara to pull him back into her arms. She watches as Zuko sinks into bed next to her and settles the sheets around his waist. "Besides, I just want to look at it and see why everyone's trying so hard to catch it before someone else buys it."

"I've changed my mind. I don't think… I just think that a change is going to come and I won't be needing this anymore." She looks around the room. "I'm ready for new things now."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really."

"Hopefully Those new things involve me."

"And they do."

Though he's smiling brightly, the brightest she's ever seen Katara can't help but feel guilty about herself.

The next morning Zuko stands in the foyer of the estate with the description papers in hand. "The master bedroom has his and hers bathrooms and closets. There are two guest houses- Katara? Are you listening?" His voice echoes throughout the meticulous, beautiful, and lavish estate.

"Yes!" She shouts from somewhere, he thinks that she's upstairs- running, like a child in a candy store. He's already looked the place over a week ago, but it's so much to remember about it.

"There's a library, a tennis court, swimming pool, a pool house, a wine cellar, gym, a thirty plus car garage- that's a plus. Coiffure salon, staffs quarters, conference room, three offices, there's a powder room in the bathroom too. It's five acres, Tuscan style build, there's carpet, hardwood, and stone floors. I know how you like variety." He mutters the last part. "There's a den, a family room, you've already seen the formal entry. A recreational room and a musicians room, tile roofing etc. whatever you can think of it's here."

"This place is beautiful!" Zuko here's her call from the dining room. "What- an indoor and outdoor pool too? The kitchen… the bedrooms- it's so amazing." Her heeled boots click on the stairs as she comes down.

"So you like it?"

"I love it. I wish it was mine." She stares up at the decorated ceiling. "Why did the last owners leave?"

"They got bought out."

"So, how much is this house again?" She looks at him and he's folding the papers in half.

"It's one hundred and fifty three million."

"Oh. That figures." She says sadly. She'll never be able to afford that much, maybe in twenty years if she takes out a loan or does mortgage payments. The money that she got from those bookings and interviews aren't even have that much. She's fallen in love with this house, now she won't be able to have it. She doubts that Zuko has that much money, maybe his parents though. Her heart sink.

"We'll never be able to get this." She runs her hand over the frame of an expensive looking painting. "I guess that's why someone came

up with the name dream house."

"You want it?"

"Of course I want it."

"Here." He pulls something shiny out of his pocket. "I know it doesn't have a white picket fence but you have your pools and music room along with those salon things that you women like so much."

She stares at the keys that he's holding up and then looks at him in disbelief.

"So you- wait!" She puts her hands on her head and closes her eyes in thought. "Zuko… this house is almost two hundred million dollars."

"Not really…" he says carefully. "I got it for forty three."

"Million?"

"Yes."

"And…" she hesitantly takes the keys from his hand. "These are… this house, it's ours? It's for us?"

"Signed the papers yesterday evening, move in this weekend."

"Oh." She nods.

Then she faints.

Her vision is blurry when she first wakes up to the smell of ammonia. It's so strong, she sits up quickly and in the process knocks the small cup of liquid out of Zuko's hand.

"Sorry!" She catches the cup and pulls the damaging liquid from his pants. Then she realizes, when she looks around the room that she's in Zuko's bedroom.

"Nice reflexes." Zuko comments.

"It was a dream… what time is it?"

"Seven thirty in the morning. You've been out since we went to the house." He mumbles something that katara can't quite make out as he disappears into the bathroom. "I couldn't wake you up for anything in the world until I remembered about the ammonia."

"So it was real?" She jumps out of bed and fumbles to the bathroom. "With the house and everything…it was all real?"

"Of course it was. That's what made you faint remember?" She can easily understand him even though there's a toothbrush in his mouth and running water in the sink and shower in the background.

That beautiful house, well she thinks it would be better to say those houses since there's two guesthouses on the property, are theirs. That big estate is theirs! But why? She wonders what he'll do with it when he comes with her for her tour, that's if he goes.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Do what? You mean brush my teeth?"

"No, I mean the house. Why'd you do that? How'd you do that?"

In the flash of an eye he's in front of her and his warm hands are on her cheeks. "Because it's everything that you've ever wanted Katara. Did you forget that time on the boat when you told me- besides a white picket fence, big yard and pool- that you wanted that, I love you. And right now, that's all you need to know." He kisses her forehead.

"You love me?"

"I do."

"I don't need material things for me to love you."

"I know, but I love seeing your eyes light up." He slowly let's her go and adjusts the water in the four head shower. In the midst of watching him strip she remembers how she hasn't had shower sex in- what has it been now? A month… the overwhelming pain and growling in her stomach make her think twice.

She holds her bare stomach and eases on out to the kitchen.

The house phone ringing catches her attention, she picks it up. It's Lu Ten calling, as a matter of fact he's called plenty of times. She looks behind her, should she answer? It's Lu Ten, his cousin. It could be important.

She clicks the talk button. "Hello?"

"Katara?"

"Yeah, hi."

"Where's Zuko?" He sneezes into the phone. "I've been trying to call him since last night. Is something wrong with his phone?"

She blushes. "It's kind of broken. He's in the shower right now, he should be out any minute."

"Alright. Just tell him that Ozai's signed off on the release papers and Zuko needs to go and see him."

"See him for what?"

"Ozai's stepping down and giving up his position- I gotta go, Iroh's calling. Talk to you later Katara." He hangs up quickly. Katara turns the phone off and thinks. Does that mean that Zuko will become CEO? She sakes it off, maybe someone else is getting it. After digging around in the pantry and fridge she heats up some already cooked potatoe and shrimp stew. She devours it, she didn't know was that hungry.

Zuko comes out just as she's snuggled back in his bed and closed her eyes. She sighs into the plush pillow. "Lu Ten called, he said something about Ozai stepping down and you need to go and see him."

"Great." He grunts, towel drying his hair.

"He's quitting?"

"Yes, He's giving his position to one of the other more seasoned men. I never expected him to even think about giving it to me- Zhao's always been the most fitted. He's been trying to get that title for years."

"You actually want it? I thought that you wanted to do something else with your life. You never wanted to work business Zuko." She reminds him. If he wants that position, if he gets it, that means he's staying in the city. Nine time out of ten he won't leave with her.

"That was before I really experienced the field work. I've never been out on business conferences on my own, I've never been depended on to close deals with other companies and make investments." When he turns around to face her she can tell that this is something that he wants. "Taking small businesses and building them up to make them bigger is something I can visually say that I helped grow. It's a good feeling."

"You can't do that as vp?"

"No, at least I'm not supposed to. I actually really don't know what's going on. You should be getting dressed." Judging from his tone he doesn't want to talk about it anymore.

"Getting dressed for what? It's eight in the morning."

"Because Ursa will here at nine to pick us up so that we can all shop for something to wear to the banquet for Friday."

"What time does it start?"

"Eight until."

She sits up in bed checks her phones calendar. She's forgotten that she has something to do Friday at seven. "…About that banquet."

"What about it?" He tosses her some clothes that he's found in his closet, she picks at them with criticizing eyes.

"I'm going to be late, I have a show that night at seven."

"Another one?" He asks from the closet. "Exactly how many will you plan on having?"

"If you count the upcoming tour, it's a lot…" she says lowly. Zuko comes out of the closet.

"What tour are you talking about?"

"It's just that Situ said I might have a tour soon- he doesn't exactly know when- or if there's even going to be one. Depends on how my record sales."

"How long is this tour?"

"I don't know, you know it may not even happen." She gathers her clothes and disappears into the bathroom. She's just lied again, she knows she'll have to tell him sooner or later, but it'll crush him.

She doesn't want that.

Being around Ursa is very pleasing. She's like a firecracker that just keeps exploding oodles and oodles of colors and excitement.

Being around Azula is less than pleasing, it's like having to constantly watch your back because a sociopathic serial killer is walking behind you with a butcher knife.

It's the three of them walking to a department store that Katara is sure is reduculously expensive. She falls behind a little to yank her scarf from around her neck and stuff it into her bag. At least she had a little bit of variety of clothing to choose from at Zuko's place. She's wearing a royal blue long sleeved sweater with jeans with knee high boots. On the plus side, Katara just happened to find her entire makeup stash in the back of his closet when she was looking for her other boot. She never felt happier doing her makeup, the liner didn't even take her long. She even managed to flatten her hair. Why does Zuko even have a flat iron? She doesn't know.

Speaking of Zuko, he hasn't said much to her since she told him- scratch that, kind of told him about the tour. Maybe he knows something. It wouldn't surprise her, he can see right through her. She has to stop completely to dig in her bag when her phone begins to ring, she just knows that it's Sokka. They're supposed to go to the gravesite today, hopefully it won't be until later. Katara finally finds her phone, it was Sokka but he only texted her to tell her to be there for six.

"Shit." She curses when the phone slips out of her hand and falls face first on the floor. She's picked the right time to decide not to put a case on it. She stoops to pick it up and examines it. Good thing it didn't crack, karma has missed her this time.

"What a potty mouth." A sweet voice says. She looks up to see Azula standing there with one hand on her hip. "Bet Ursa never heard you say things like that, bet this would crush her. The little things make the most impact."

Katara stands with a sigh. "Alright, I know you don't like me but can you at least maybe ignore me for these few hours?"

"What makes you think I don't like you?"

"Probably because I'm an outsider. Me and Mai- your best friend- have had moments. I don't know, maybe because Mai wants Zuko back but we're together. Azula there's so many possibilities."

"I don't know what pixie dust you're on, but I could care less about Mai." She states with sophistication. "As a matter of fact I'm glad she's out of the picture."

"You are? But you and her are friends."

"Let me rephrase that, we were friends. We were best friends. Are you done playing detective now? I need to find something to wear for Friday." She walks off without waiting on her.

Katara follows behind her. "What happened? Why aren't you two friends anymore?"

"Is it that important for you to know?" She rolls her eyes.

"Kind of, yes."

"Okay, fine. To cure your curiosity of the reason that Mai and I aren't friends is because she broke his heart."

"How?" They stopped being friends because Mai broke Zuko's heart? Katara didn't know that Zuko and Azula even liked each other. They're always disagreeing and fighting about something.

"Do you always ask this many questions? Ask ZuZu, I'm sure it'll be an interesting conversation."

"You're very sarcastic."

"Thank you." Azula checks the watch on her wrist and rolls her eyes. Maybe she has somewhere else to be besides here.

"Do you want to go to the movies Saturday night? It could be just a girls things, you know?"

Azula almost looks at her in surprise. Katara wonders if she has any friends besides Ty Lee and as a matter of fact Azula doesn't really seem like the social type. She's all work and no play, sort of like Ozai.

"The movies? On a Saturday night? I'm hosting a study session-"

"-Well that's no fun. You never have any fun really. When was the last time you went to a club or a house party or a frat party?" Katara asks her. "What have you done that doesn't involve criminal law?" Exactly who studies on a Saturday night anyway? Saturday's were created for youngsters like her and Azula to have fun.

"That doesn't mean that I want to have a ladies night with my brother's girlfriend."

"Come on, it'll be fun. We can go downtown- Saturday nights downtown, there's always something going on. Or we can go on the boardwalk and maybe find some cute boys."

"You are really annoying."

"I know, but you need a day of fun. A day free from all those cases and boring things. You're young and you should-"

"If I go will you shut up?"

"Yes. So you'll come?"

"If it brings silence to the present I'll go." She says with edge. Katara doesn't say anymore. That's the end of that conversation. When they reach the store Azula branches out on her own, she briefly wonders if Azula knows anything about the engagement, probably not. With the help of Ursa she found the perfect gown. It'd better be perfect since its $1,500. At first she's gaped out the price until she remembered the checks that the label deposited into her account for her first single. Ursa chose something sleek and black but she doesn't know what Azula picked out. She's left to go another store sometime when Katara was in the dressing room.

The ride home is quiet except for the humming that's coming from Iroh in the front passenger seat. Katara has discovered that Ursa is a terrible driver. She holds onto the door in the backseat, Zuko barely looks at her but she can feel Azula smirking behind her. Katara cannot wait until eight, that's when Ursa promised to tell her if Zuko will be chosen for the position or not. That's all she can think about even as she's thinking about the upcoming events in her life.

As she was checking out Situ called her to tell her to meet him at his office for four to finalize some things. It would be easier for Ursa to take her seeing as though they're not too far. Zuko barely says goodbye to her, she doesn't know what's wrong with him. Maybe he knows something that she thinks he doesn't know or maybe he's just disappointed about Friday. She doesn't know, she'll talk to him about it later.

When she makes it to Situ's office it's filled with people. Situ's lips form into a thin line when he sees her. "It's about time you make it here."

"I was stuck in traffic." She closes the door behind her and takes off her gloves and scarf. The people in the room stare at her expectantly, what are they expecting from her?

"Right. I'll make this quick because I've got better things to be doing at this moment." Situ leans off the desk and stands in the center of the room. "This-" he gestures around the room at the new faces. "-Is your entourage."

Wait what?

"This is Jing." Situ points to a small woman with short black hair and gentle green eyes. "She's your personal assistant."

"Hello Miss." She smiles warmly and waves at Katara.

"Hi." Katara says bank unsurely. She stands dumbfounded as Situ continues to introduce her to her entourage. There's a man named Dai, he's her new personal trainer. He's gotta like a million bulky muscles and his head is completely bald, but his eyes are pretty. They're a lavender color but he still looks kind of mean…

Paze; a tall woman with long, dark, wavy hair and honey eyes is her nutritionist. Mao Shin is short and a little on the chubby side. Her red hair is tied up in a high ponytail at the top of her head and she's pretty pale with green eyes, she's her makeup artist. Ty is her choreographer, he's thin, tall and has an amazing head of jet black hair. He's beautiful, but Katara would bet her last dollar that he's gay.

Gaara is her tour publicist. He's very pale with orangey hair and a tattoo on his forehead. He doesn't smile or anything, he doesn't really look like the type to smile. Niv is her financial advisor, but to Katara she looks like she belongs on a runway. Asami is her publicist and she handles interview bookings and things like that. Hun is the vocal coach, and there's also a set of twins who are now her nail techs. The list is kind of long, Katara loses count after a while. She even has a personal shopper, a stylist, hairdresser and even a body guard. All of them will be accompanying her on tour, it's going to be pretty cramped.

"One person is missing." Katara speaks out after her new entourage leaves out the room. "Well, two people actually."

"And who might that be?"

"My new manager and assistant manager." She plops down on the couch and checks the time on her phone. Situ ignores her for a while as he arranges the decanter set. Katara looks up at her and purses her lips, he can't see her because his back is to her. "You know, maybe I don't need a manager. Maybe I can manage myself."

"I can't tell if you're drunk, high, or just plain crazy right now." He looks back at her over his shoulder. "Maybe you're all three."

"I've been doing some thinking."

"Oh really? I have some Advil in my desk drawer. I'm sure you're going to need them more than I do." There he goes again with all the smart remarks and nitpicks. He's still probably soar from that day in the studio, there's positively no way that they'll be able to put that behind them.

She shoots to get feet and glares at him. "You're such a dick!" Katara is sick of his jokes and insults. Maybe it's really for the best if he leaves. She's just about had it with him! He only laughs at her and pours himself a drink.

"And I'll always be the biggest dick that you'll never see." Situ drops some ice cubes into his drink and stirs it around. Katara is taken back. That was a pretty dirty comeback. It was dirty but at the same time it was a good one, she really didn't see that one coming. "So far I haven't found a replacement." Anyway, there's been a change of plans about the tour. Some people are going to be joining you."

"You mean my new entourage? Sure, let's make it an even bigger party." She says with sarcasm.

"You'll be touring with the Freedom Fighters. It was announced today. You two are about to collaborate, he- as in the lead singer, Jet, is featuring you on his next track. On Christmas night you're set to perform in he city square, the night before that you're going to be at Sinz's bar and lounge, I'll email you the rest. You're leaving here December twenty sixth, so-"

"Hold up. Slow down, please tell me you did not just say what I think you said." She closes her eyes and tries to keep her emotions in order. "You did not just tell me that." She hopes that her ears heard wrong, because there is no way in hell that she's going to be stuck on a bus with him.

Situ looks at her in annoyance that he doesn't try to hide. "I did. What's with you?"

"There is no way in hell that I'm going to be away for eighteen months with that jerk!" She stomps her foot. "I'm not doing it!" The last time she saw Jet it turned out badly. She doesn't want to have a slip up like that again.

"Yes you are doing it."

"I'm not. I don't care what you say." She retorts back. "I'm not doing that, I don't have to do that." Touring away for eighteen months with Jet and Smellerbee? Oh no, there's no way.

"I'm still your manager Katara." He reminds her with dignity. "You either do this or they cut you loose. In this world you'll have to do things that you don't want to do until you're established enough to make your own choices."

"No."

"They're paying two hundred and fifty grand katara and that's for a verse, imagine what they'd offer for a hook too. You've probably never even met the guy."

"I've met him. I've loved him. Ive hated him and now I want absolutely nothing to do with him." She uses emphasis on all the words, hoping that Situ gets the idea. He doesn't even know a thing about her and Jet, it's best that he doesn't know all of the details. The only person she's really opened up to about that is Zuko, Situ isn't Zuko. Situ's eyes shine with curiosity. Then that stupid grin crosses his face.

"Has anyone told you how adorable you are when you're upset? It's quiet the sight."

"My fiancée tells me all the time." Comes her automatic response.

"That was a low blow." He scoffs. "Fiancée huh? Where's the ring then? Shouldn't you be wearing some big rock that says you're already spoken for for good?"

He's right. Katara looks down at her hand, there's nothing there. She'd taken the ring off and put it in her bag before she left to go to the mall. She took it off because she didn't want them to know yet. She folds her arms to hide her hands, she never should've taken it off. This is main place that she should have it on.

"Don't worry, I'll just imagine that you kissed me back that day." He practically smashes the glass down on the small bar, Katara jumps at the impact of it. He doesn't look at her as he pulls on his coat. "Jets coming next week, hopefully you can set aside your differences to get this done." He all but brushes past her to get to the door. Katara gathers her things and catches up with him.

"I love him Situ and I won't… I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world." He tenses at her words, hand squeezing the doorknob until his knuckles turn white. "I'm sorry." She apologizes. Her voice comes out as a whisper. What's she sorry for? It wasn't her fault that he fell for her.

"Sorry? Yeah, me too. Let me tell you this Katara; in this line of work you either pursue your dreams and become successful or you don't- this is what you've wanted since you were able to open your mouth and talk. It's either him or this, you can't have both Katara." He slams the door open and leaves the room. Katara remains in the same spot, still a tad shaken by his words.

But she still refuses to work with Jet.

"Did you know that I'm getting married? Well, not right now, maybe in time. Zuko is the most wonderful man on the planet, even in this universe and you'd love him. His family is pretty nice too, his mother is… she somewhat like you except she's been amplified three hundred times. Friday his dad is going to announce who gets that CEO position. If Zuko is chosen I think- I don't think that he'll be able to come with me on tour. If he knows that both Jet and Situ are going he's going to take with a fit."

Katara runs her hand on the cool headstone, two tears fall down her cheek. "All my dreams are coming true, I'm finally getting everything that I've ever wanted. Have you seen me on that stage, singing and dancing? Those people, they're my fans. They love me, they love my music. I've made, I've made it and you aren't here to see it, you can't experience it with I wish you were here."

Sokka puts a hand on her shoulder before he turns her into his chest. "She's here. She's always here." Her heavy tears soak his jacket but he doesn't mind. His own eyes are swollen but his tears don't fall anymore.

She cries into his chest and she holds onto him tighter than she thought was humanly possible. From the distance Hakoda watches them with a pained expression, it leaves when a soft breeze carrying the smell of pine and fresh water caress his face.

He closes his eyes in serenity and nods in understanding. "I love you too, Kya."

**.0.**

"Encephalitis and one of its keywords."

"It's inflammation of the brain. The keyword is itis."

"Name the major parts of the brain and describe to me there functions."

"The parts of the brain are the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brainstem. The cerebrum is involved in remembering, problem solving, thinking and movement. The cerebellum controls coordination and balance and the brainstem connects the brain to the spinal cord. It basically controls automatic functions such as breathing, digestion, heart rate and blood pressure."

"Well, that's that." Katara slams the big textbook closed and gathers up Ming's flash cards. "If you don't get a good passing grade then those tests must be rigged or something. Do you want to start on the cardiovascular today too?" She's been helping Ming study for her finals since one o'clock, now it's half past eight. This stuff has given her a headache. It's been a while since she's read all these medical terms and such.

"No that's okay, I'd better head on home and get some beauty rest. Thanks for this Katara, I slack off when I'm studying alone." Ming says gratefully. Katara helps her pack up her things and sees her to the front door. "You're coming to the party Friday right?"

"I'm going to be a little late, but I'm going to make it." She needs to make it to that party. Ursa hasn't contacted her yet but she thinks it's just because she forgot. Whose she kidding? Ursa doesn't forget anything. Maybe Ozai didn't pick Zuko, maybe Zhao has it. Katara would be happy if it went like that but Zuko would be disappointed, she doesn't want that either.

"Okay, good night." Ming heads on out the door and Katara locks it behind her. She then goes into the den where Zuko is sprawled on the couch. He stares at the television with an everlasting scowl. The whole time she was helping Ming he chose to stay in here in the dark with Toby, since Ming is terrified of dogs. Zuko continues sulking and he doesn't see her when she walks in.

"It's so emoish in here." She comments once she's straddled his waist. Katara receives his full attention within seconds and his hands settle down on her hips.

"Emoish?" Zuko questions with fervor. He pulls her head down by her chin and takes her lips in his own. It makes her mind go blank and heartbeat speed up, she loves him. His hand goes to the base of her neck and presses their lips together more so. The groan that sounds out into her mouth are the result of her slipping her fingers into the front of his pants.

"Emoish." She confirms breathlessly. His lips attack hers again more feverishly and he forces his way into her mouth.

He purposely tilts his hips up into hers and she leans onto her hands to nuzzle her head in the crook of his neck. She lowers her chest onto his and inhales deeply. His cologne is intoxicating, it's the same one he wore when they first met so long ago. Her eyes slip close and she bites the skin on his neck when his rough hands slide under her shirt and travel and up down her back at an agonizingly slow speed. She arches her hips into his and a slight moan escapes the back of her throat. Her brain has become fuzzy and her lower region heats up with anticipation.

Katara loves how he touches her so gently yet so needy and impatient at the same time, like he's learning her body all over again. She's never denied him, she can't even get enough of him. His love is just so surreal, so alluring, dark and overwhelming. He sits up so that she's in his lap and pulls her legs tighter around him. She hisses through her teeth when his hardness brushes against her clothed womanhood. She mumbles his name over and again as he brings attention to her neck- a spot that he knows drives her crazy.

"This position- the CEO position, you want it don't you?" She knows that it's the not the right moment to be starting up a conversation about this but she can't help it.

"Of course I do, why? You don't want me to take it?" He speaks into her neck and his hands take a firm grip on her bottom. He squeezes and spanks her one time before leaning back on the sofa.

"I just want you to be happy, do what makes you happy. Whatever happens that won't change the way I feel about you."

"I'm happy now, because I'm with you. But…" Zuko trails off as he slips his hands under her sweater and around her back to her bra straps. "You can make me happier though." His eyes cloud over and he unhooks the garment.

"I will, always." She smiles into his ear, but in the back of her mind she knows that forever probably won't be in her favor.

**.0.**

Katara is three and a half hours late to the banquet, she got so caught up in her show with all the music and dancing and autographs that she almost forgot about Zuko. She adjusts the strapless heart shaped top that's bunched In the middle of her breasts. She's wearing a form fitting red gown the fits her tightly in her upper half and it flows out and to the floor at her waist. Her hair is still in a million curls that bounce as she walks and her makeup is still flawless. She took a chance and let someone else do her face, she wasn't too sure Mao Shin would do a good job but it came out perfectly. She searches around for what seems like hours for Zuko in the elegant mansion. Lu Ten and Ursa haven't seen him either, neither has Azula or Ozai. They said he disappeared after he heard the news.

She definitely was not expecting the photographer of the event to give her her own photo shoot and include people who she doesn't even know. They try to ask her questions that she really isn't in the mood to answer as of this moment. They're interested in her, maybe because they've heard her. She asks them if they've seen Zuko and they haven't either.

She finally finds him out by dock on the lake, staring up at the crescent moon. It's freezing cold out here and it doesn't make it any better that she's right by the water. The cold doesn't affect her much but still, it's winter and she has nothing on her arms.

"You're either really upset or you're trying to conceal your happiness." She says as she approaches him. He leans off the railing and looks at her. She can't tell what he's thinking, it's hard to right now.

"I got it." His eyes light up. "I'm the CEO of the corporation."

_No. _

"That's… that's great!" She hugs him tightly. She's glad that he can't see her expression, she really isn't happy but she knows she should be. It's what he wanted, it's what makes him happy. "I'm so happy for you."

"I know you are, but why are you crying?" He pulls away from her and reaches into his pocket to pull out a folded up paper. She wipes her eyes, she didn't realize that she was crying. Why exactly is she crying anyway? Is it because Zuko has been appointed the head of the company? Is it because one of them may have to skip out on their dreams? Who knows, it may be both. When he opens the glossy paper her heart skips a beat.

"Kenshin found this in a coffee shop uptown. Katara, you've known about this. Why didn't you tell me?" Katara resists the urge to give him a smart

The words spill out of her mouth before she can think them over, she's been doing that a lot lately. "I didn't know how, I don't want to tell you that I was leaving especially when I saw how excited you were about the possibility of becoming CEO."

His eyes flash. "Eighteen months, eighteen months away traveling the world. Eighteen months with Jet? Eighteen months away from me- from us, you couldn't tell me that? You knew about this all along Katara-"

"-Alright, I won't lie and say that I didn't know about this exactly. This is why i didn't tell you, you re overreacting and shouting! The whole place is going to hear you."

"It doesn't matter how I'm going I react to something Katara. You should've told me this. You should've let me in." He balls the paper up and throws it into the lake. It causes ripples to appear on the water and shatters the perfect reflection of the moon and stars.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah," he inhales deeply. "Me too."

"I didn't want you to find out about it like this Zuko. I was going to tell you on my own, in my own time!"

"When was that gonna be? Was it gonna be the same day that you board a flight to God knows where?"

"You're making this worse than what it really is- Zuko, you're letting out steam, will you calm down?"

"How can I calm down knowing that the woman I love is going to be leaving me in like a month to go around the creation with her ex boyfriend and a manager who's supposed to be gone?" He strikes a nerve, he has every right to be mad at her.

He may have that fine house, the big CEO position, his fathers blessing and everything else but he's still losing a piece of him when she leaves. That means the engagement is off, there won't be a wedding- not to mention the fact that she'll be missing their friends wedding too. She'll be apart from Zuko.

"I don't want to fight with you Zuko. You know I've been wanting this, needing this my entire life. I know this is what you've been wanting but I can't miss out again." She reaches up and holds him by his cheeks. "Come with me."

Zuko leans back a little and thinks over her words. His eyes search hers for something that he probably won't ever find in them. He looks sad for a moment before his eyes glaze over and harden.

"Katara, I-I can't come with you." He removes her hands from his face and they limply to her sides. "I'm sorry."

Her world tilts a little and more tears threaten to spill from her eyes. "Yeah, me too." He reaches out to her but she slips through his fingers and backs away. Even though she's breaking in the inside she still manages to pull on a half smile and congratulate him. "I don't want to stand in your way of what you want the most Zuko, you deserve this right?"

"Katara." When he tries to get her again she runs off back into the party, leaving Zuko alone by the lake.

**.0.**

**I hated this chapter, I spent DAYS adjusting this to make it perfect! I hated the ending the most, it wasn't good enough in my eyes. In going to make the next chapter better than this one and this story has only about one or two chapters left in it anyway. **

**Don't hate me for it. **

**Read and Review**


	25. Chapter 25

**Story Title:** I Won't Give Up

**Author: **XxToToXx

**Full Summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**Twenty Four**

The movers arrive early at her house the next morning. They wake her out of her medicine induced sleep with all the loud talking and banging. Zuko has let them in, much annoyance to her. He didn't sleep at her place last night, he went to his own house. He called her late last night but she didn't answer because she was far too busy crying her eyes out like a teenage girl whose boyfriend dumped her the night before prom and took her best friend to it instead. She lays in bed staring up at the ceiling as they move the things around downstairs. She knows that Zuko will be coming up any minute to talk about last night.

What is there really to talk about? She wants to go and live her dreams but she wants him to come with her, he denied her. Zuko wants to keep that new position and make his father proud. She wants Zuko and her dream, Zuko wants her and his dream too. They can't have both, and she knows that she will not be able to do a long distance relationship. They might have to… they might just have to end this. She squeezes her eyes shut and turns onto her side with the covers high over her head.

The light is shooting through her curtain, it's absolutely too bright and beautiful of a day and all she wants to do is stay in bed and sulk like she's sixteen. Toby wags his tail beside the bed and pants as he jumps up to get her attention. He's either hungry or he wants to go outside, Katara doesn't want to do any of those things. Then when he starts barking jumping up and down in the bed she's forced to rethink her decision.

Her phone rings as soon as she sits up. She has multiple missed calls in fact. Toph, Yue, Sokka, and even Aang has called her. She decides to just text them all back since she doesn't feel like talking.

"Where do you want to go?" She asks Toby, he cocks his head to the side. "You want to go to the beach?"

He barks.

"What about downtown?"

He barks twice.

"You want to go to the beach and downtown?" She watches him run around in circles. "I guess we can. It's not like I have anything better to do." She doesn't have to pack anything besides her clothes and other items in her bedroom. Zuko already knows what she wants to keep and throw away, she gave him a list the other day. Katara stands and stretches. Since she lives right by the beach they can go there first and then walk downtown, it'll give her time to think.

She'll have to tell the others about the tour now that Zuko knows. She wants to be the first to tell them before Kenshin gets another chance to, Katara knows that she did it on purpose and she's probably leaping with joy somewhere. She performs her morning routine quicker than usual but she takes the time to apply her face carefully with her newfound cosmetics, she makes sure to put on everything; foundation, concealer, her mineral powder, and eyeshadow and liner. She thinks she's doing it mostly because Zuko doesn't like it. She brushes out or her now wavy hair, it's still big and full but today she prefers it up in a high ponytail. She's forgotten the name of the stuff that the hair dresser used on it to make it so pretty.

She dresses in a white tank with a black hooded bomber jacket and a pair of distressed skinny jeans. She buckles on her belt and after careful consideration she decides to wear a pair of heeled ankle boots. She hasn't worn heels just to wear them in a long time. She ties a scarf around her neck and puts her earrings in her ear. Toby follows her out the room and down the stairs where a dozen men are working, when they see her they pause and stare. Zuko stands by the front door and watches them before his eyes adjust on her.

He pulls her into the kitchen away from the men's prying eyes. "Where are you going?"

"Good morning to you too. I'm going to walk my dog." She secures the leash on Toby's collar, sometimes he breaks away. "I guess you're too busy to talk about last night now."

"I didn't mean to say it like that, what did you think was happening? You thought I was going to break up with you just because you're going to be gone?" That's exactly what she thought but she won't go ahead on and admit it. She doesnt want them all to break up, that's the last thing that she wants.

"A little, you said you weren't going with me. I can't stay- what are we going to do?"

"We'll figure something out, we always do." His eyes dart down to the ring that's still on her finger. "Right?"

"Right. We'll figure something out."

"We will tonight after we cook dinner in our house."

"Actually, I'm taking Azula out with me tonight." She tells him.

"Azula? You're going out with Azula?"

"Yeah, is that bad."

"It's just that Azula isn't really the party and fun type." Zuko chuckles. "Her definition of fun is planning world domination and recruiting more minions to do her dirty work."

"I'm sure there's a partier in there somewhere. How long will this move take?"

"They should be done by three. A lot of furniture came with the house, and you aren't really keeping any of your things."

She nods. "Toby and I are going downtown to the dog park. We should be back before it gets late." Zuko's hand goes to the back of her neck and pulls her lips into hers.

"Don't get lost."

"We won't."

He sees her out the front door and when she passes by the men whose hauling boxes onto the truck one of them jumps down in front of her. He's a big man with a protruding belly, but he's got the face of a child. He looks innocent enough.

"Excuse me, you're Katara Khalan right?" He asks almost nervously. Katara grips onto Toby's leash.

"Depends on whose asking."

"My daughter listens to your song all the time, she keeps it on repeat on her iPod. It's about to drive me crazy- would you mind?" He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a sharpie marker and a piece of paper, a candy wrapper.

"You want my autograph?" She asks. She's been asked at shows to sign things but those were just shows, no ones ever approached her like this.

"You probably get asked this all the time, my daughter loves you. She's too young to go see you in concerts and stuff, she's twelve."

Katara takes the paper and signs her name. No, That's too plain. She starts over.

With love,

From Katara.

She draws a small heart on it and hands it back to the man. "What school does she go to?"

"Geez, thanks a lot. She goes to the Aviux Youth Academy for performing arts, she want to be a ballerina." He smiles a toothy smile. She can feel Zuko's intense stare burning into her back.

"If you want to I can see about going to her school, I'm sure my manager can work out something." She half whispers even though she knows that Zuko can't hear them.

"She'd love that, wait til I tell her this! You have a good day now miss!" He shakes her hands. When she turns around Zuko's looking at her strangely, she shrugs it off and tugs at Toby's leash to begin their walk.

Sokka calls her as soon as they make it to the busy city streets.

"Exactly when were you going to tell us that about that eighteen month tour?" He hollers into the phone.

"I can't believe you kept this from us, we're supposed to be best friends Katara!"

Katara pauses. "Yue?"

"Hey, she didn't tell me either!" Aang says. Exactly how many people are on this phone?

"She left me out too! I bet Zuko knew before us!"

Katara keeps up with the crowd all while holding onto the leash and keeping the phone up to her ear. It's very busy and it's only ten in the morning. "I'm sorry Toph-"

"-You all shouldn't feel bad, I'm her father and she didn't tell me either."

"Dad? Okay, what's with the conference call? I was going to two you all today when I had time, I couldn't keep something that big a secret for too long."

"You kept it a secret all this time!" That's Toph.

"So how did you find out?"

"The posters are everywhere, and I mean everywhere." Hakoda tells her. There are a lot of ringing phones in the background, she doesn't know which person it's coming from.

Aang yawns. "So Zuko knows?"

"He found about it from his assistant, I guess he found out last night." She sighs. "Now I have a problem."

"You know what? We're coming over tonight. All this is going to be discussed and settled." Sokka says with determination.

"What has to be discussed and settled?" Yue.

"Katara's leaving for eighteen months. Whose going to get her house and car?" Sokka stuffs something in his mouth. It sounds like candy.

"Really Sokka?" Hakoda sighs.

"Zuko bought us a new one."

"Wait, what?" Yue screeches. "Oh. My. Gosh."

"And exactly when did this happen?"Aang asks.

Hakoda chuckles. "Well I knew about that."

"Last week, we're moving today." She holds the phone in between her shoulder and ear because she'll need two hands to hold onto the leash. Toby gets wild when he gets around other dogs. He begins running along the sidewalk and she doesn't think that she'll be able to hold on.

"Moving today? That quickly?"

"Yes Sokka."

"Why didn't you tell me this dad?"

"Because you never asked."

"As much as I love this group conversation, this really isn't a good time. I'm about to break my neck sprinting in six inch heels, and I have to cancel tonight Yue."

"Ah!" Yue groans.

"Six?" Toph and Hakoda ask in unison.

"I'll text you all the address and everything." She hangs up and as soon as she does the leash is ripped from her hand and Toby takes off into the park. Katara leans on the white fencing to catch her breath. It feels like she ran three miles, Katara brushes the loose strands of hair out of her face and sits on one of the benches. There aren't many people here today, less people means less dogs. Toby is running with some dogs across the field, having the time of his life. He won't come over for her to take his leash off.

"Hey superstar." Someone says from her right. She nearly jumps out of her skin. It's Kouga, when did he get here?

"Hey yourself. Do you always sneak up on innocent women?"

Kouga laughs. "Only in the bedroom, not in public places- unless it's a special event."

"Alright…" she says slowly. "A bit too much info."

"What's with you? Looking all down snd out? You should be on top of the world now." He nudges her arm with his fist. "That tour with Jet doesn't have you stoked?"

"Let's put it like this, what's the first thing you think about when you hear the lead singer of the Freedom Fighter's name?"

"Egotistical cocky bastard."

"My egotistical cocky ex."

"Isn't that some shit." Kouga whistles. "That's why you're here like you're mad at the world."

"It's a year and a half away from my home and my family and friends. I never knew that he'd have to come with me."

"It shouldn't matter as long as you're doing what you need to do. Even If that means being stuck on a tour bus with your ex boyfriend for a year and a half."

She scoffs.

"What's more important to you? Your dream or him?"

"My dream of course, that's a no brainer." She scoffs again and tightens her ponytail.

"Bet that sucks for Zuko."

"We haven't really discussed that." Her shoulders slump and her nose wrinkles. "Why am i telling you all of this again?" She knows that Kouga is a really good person to talk to, they used to sit next to each other in every class before she stopped going. She doesn't know much about his personal life except that he comes from some famous tribe and he loves cars.

"Because we're friends… and because I need your textbooks."

"What textbooks?"

"Biology and calculus."

"We didn't take biology and calculus." She frowns.

"You don't remember because you were asleep at the back of the class most of the time."

"Oh." She blushes. "I forgot about that."

"Yeah, just don't go forgetting about the little people when you win all those awards."

"There's no such thing as little people. Everyone's equal in my eyes." She shrugs. "Don't worry."

"I hear you, what's the plan for today? Manicures?"

"Not today, today I'm taking Zuko's sister out somewhere. I don't know where yet."

"Mall and movies?"

"Too cliche. She needs to open up. Be free."

"Club?"

"I think so." She looks around the field. "Where's Toby?" She gets to her feet. She doesn't see him anywhere, maybe he got out through one of the other gates.

"He's over there with Fang, my husky." Kouga points to the far corner of the yard. "She's a sucker for other huskies."

"She?" Katara nods absently. Toby is wrestling with Fang, a black and white husky with clear blue eyes. He looks happy. "I didn't know you had a dog, I didn't even know you liked dogs."

"You'd be surprised in the things I like." He grins at her.

The time really flies by when you're having a great conversation with someone. It passes by so quickly that it's already five o'clock. Her and Kouga took Fang and Toby to a dog snack bar. In all the years she's been living in this city she's never known it to have a dog snack bar.

When she makes it home- to her new home, Zuko is in his office with stacks and stacks of files in front of him. He must've been doing this since the move was finished. Plus he's not alone, Sokka and Lu Ten are there as well.

"Look who finally decided to show up." Zuko says dryly. She stands and begins tucking the files away into his desk.

"Nice house 'Tara, and look!" Sokka holds up a dusty green bottle. "This is from the AG period! Do you hear me? The AG period!" Toby tackles him to the ground, he loves new people.

"Hope you don't mind, but we're taking your fiancé out for a while." Lu Ten tells her with a globe in his hand. "Call it a boys night out, no… that sounds gay."

"And exactly where are you going?" She eyes them suspiciously. She checks the time, she needs to go and get her stuff. She's supposed to be at Azula's house for seven. It'll take herself like two hours to get ready anyway. But first takes her rightful spot on his desk.

"You're going out? On a Saturday at that?" She adjusts the front of his shirt. "That's good."

Zuko only shrugs in response. "May as well have a good night before Monday. Itold them no yet they're still here."

"I was thinking the strip club- Kitten's Paradise maybe?" Lu Ten says. "Remember we used to always go there in college- and some of high school?"

"Strip club?" Katara whips her head around. "What do you mean you're going to a strip club?"

"I'm the only eligible bachelor here! I don't wanna go where couples go. Zuko needs this… kind of."

"He doesn't need to go to a strip club." She doesn't want him bombarded by loose half naked women. Behind her Zuko grins, he finds the situation amusing. "Where's Yue and Toph Sokka?"

He shrugs. "At some last minute beauty advisory thing. Yue said you cancelled the outing. We can decide on where to go later- long as it's nowhere with naked women. My fiancé's very territorial." Sokka grunts as he raises up from the floor and wipes his face free of drool.

"Tell me about it." Zuko agrees. "You aren't alone in that."

"Don't stay out too late." Katara ignores his comment and jumps off the desk. "And don't get into any trouble."

"Yes mam." Lu Ten salutes her. "I won't make any promises though."

The last thing that Katara hears before she leaves the office is them bickering amongst themselves.

Shes stuffing her things into her bag when Zuko comes up to their bedroom. "What do you think?" She holds up too dresses. "The black or the red? And what is that smell in here?" She sniffs around, smells like perfume. Maybe it's just her…

"Depends on where you're going." He fingers the fabrics with a disapproving look. "And I don't know, someone probably sprayed something."

"I don't know yet. I want to take her somewhere fun, loud, preferably with food and boys." She examines the black dress. "I think the black is good…"

"Boys?"

"Not for me, for Azula. I already have my boy. Why's she even single?"

He sits on the bed and goes through her bag. "Probably because she doesn't have a lot of experience with boys. I never knew you two were friends."

"We aren't, not yet. She doesn't seem like she have any fun so..." She takes her bag back and slings it over her shoulder. "I thought why not have a night with her. She said that her and Mai never were friends."

"They weren't. It's complicated really, a big mess that I got caught up in."

"Yeah. Just… steer clear of the bimbos and booze- by bimbos I also mean their ringleader, Kenshin."

"I don't drink, Katara. Not anymore at least. I definitely don't have any intentions on being with Kenshin. You're the one who doesn't need to be drinking tonight." He reminds her. "Promise me you won't have anything to drink tonight."

"…"

"Katara."

"I'll be the designated driver just in case she decides on getting wasted." She cups his face. "I won't have anything tonight. I promise."

"Take care of my my baby sister, alright?" He kisses her forehead as he stands.

"I will. She's in the best hands."

**.0.**

"Chug it."

"Excuse me?" Azula asks as she looks at the bottle she's tossed. "I'm not a drinker."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you saying that you're a tad bit too uptight for it? I'll take it back then." Katara reaches over while keeping her eyes on the traffic and snatches the bottle back. "You're probably too weak for it anyway."

"What did you say?"

"You heard me, I said you're weak. You're far too old for your age! Live, have fun! Get wasted and be free for a change!"

"I'm guessing that as in 'weak' you're stating my refusal to consume large amounts of poison in a limited fraction of time-"

"-Okay." Katara parks on the side of the street and turns to face Azula. "Let's not do the whole big word vocabulary thing. No big words tonight, no law references, no battle or war references either. Just take if easy."

"Take it easy?"

Katara nods. "And no perfectionist things either."

"It shouldn't be too hard, it's not hard at all. Being perfect just comes naturally to me, it's not my fault. Why did I even agree to this?"

"Because what twenty one year old spends a Saturday night studying? Plus I've never even gotten a chance to really know you, I am marrying your brother after all." Katara says as they get out. Luckily tonight isn't as cold as last night. The black bodycon mesh dress that she's wearing was the best choice, along with a pair of black gold heeled stilettos.

She helped Azula with her makeup and clothing choice. She's wearing a red fitted romper and a pair of golden designer sandals that Katara is totally envious of. Her hair is down and Azula insisted that she leave it straight. She doesn't use heat on her hair, she doesn't know why. They walk in silence along the night strip of the ciry. The lights are bright, so many delicious smells, the young crowd has taken over and the city is alive tonight. It's beautiful.

"Oh look." Katara smiles as she checks her phone. "They sent me a group selfie." She shows Azula the picture, she almost looks impressed.

Almost.

"ZuZu never sends pictures."

"I didn't know that."

"There's a lot of things you don't know."

"Oh. Well, that just shows you that there's a first time for everything. What do you want to do first? How about we eat first? What are hungry for? Burgers? Pizza? Some fried cakes?"

"Pizza I guess."

"Pizza it is then." Katara drags her across the street to a local pizza shop. Since it's Saturday night the place is a bit full, mostly cramped with school ball players watching the game on the flat screens that are posted around the room. Katara waits for Azula to make her decision as she twirls her straw around in her drink. There's a man whose sitting at the bar to the right of them. He's tall with bright golden eyes and spiked black hair. He's wearing a varsity hoodie under a thick leather jacket. This is the third time Katara has caught him staring.

"He's been staring at you since we walked in."

"Who?" Azula closes the menu and sets her hands in her lap.

"The boy at the bar next to the wall. He's cute too."

When Azula looks over he's staring again. This time he waves at her, rather shyly though. She partially waves back.

"He goes to Zenh university." Azula tells her. "I attend a highly respected-"

"-Good evening." It's the boy from the bar, he keeps his eyes on Azula. "I'm Mako by the way."

Katara kicks Azula under the table. The boy- Mako is trying to flirt with her, she can at least tell him her name.

"I'm Katara and this is Azula, Azula Agni." Katara introduces them both.

"Azula? That's a pretty name." Mako comments. "Do you mind if I sit?"

"Of course she doesn't." Katara answers for her. Azula gives her a look as Mako slides in besides her.

The rest of the night goes well, Azula actually begins holding a decent conversation with Mako. It was fun, laughs and jokes. Then there's the part that Azula got a bit too drunk. Katara ordered her a margarita, something fruity and light. Then Azula wanted to be daring so she ordered five shots- and she drank them all. She had to wash it down with leechie juice.

Then, there's the part where she disappeared from the restaurant right from under their noses, which sent Katara on a search to find her. She promised Mako that she'd call him as soon as she caught up with her.

She was almost arrested, was dancing in the streets, drunk bending, and declaring herself queen of the city.

When Katara catch up with her she was crossing the street headed to a rock and roll concert. She stopped her before she walked through the door. Now Azula is smiling stupidly, Katara should've figured out what type of drunk she was before she made these plans. Azula is obviously a free, wild, giggly, hyper drunk.

"When I said to be free, that didn't mean get drunk and run off on me."

Instead of verbally replying back, Azula takes her hand tightly and drags her into the booming club. Katara should've known that following a drunken Azula into the club was going to be a bad idea.

**.0.**

When she gets home at four in the morning she's exhausted. All she wants to do is get in bed and go to sleep, Azula is a bit too wild for her. Zuko is pulling off his shirt when she makes it to the bedroom.

"Wild night?"

Katara groans. "You don't even wanna know." He unzips her dress for her and she steps out of her heels. "Azula is s bit wild when she drinks."

"A bit?" He scoffs.

"That's an understatement." She collapses onto the bed and rests her eyes, she falls asleep a minute later.

It's been a tough two weeks. She's Been pulled into every direction. She's had interview after interview, photoshoot after photoshoot. She's been having shows like crazy, recording sessions, making appearances at different places. She's barely had time for herself. Not to mention what's going on in her relationship.

Something's wrong. Katara is trying not to think about it too much, she thinks that she's probably just being paranoid. Zuko has been acting strangely for two weeks now. When she calls him he doesn't answer, when she texts him he doesn't reply. When he comes home he's tired, angry, silent, or all three. It's either he's coming and she's going or she's going and he's coming. They've barely seen each other and have barely spoken to each other, it's actually tearing her apart. He comes home late, he leaves earlier in the morning, and he doesn't check in on her throughout the day like he used to. Everything has turned into a fight and she doesn't even know why.

To make things worse, the countdown has began.

It's like there's this tension between them and she doesn't know how it got there. Ming says That he's been really busy lately. Lu Ten knows something but he isn't telling her what it is. Azula thinks that he's just PMSing. Katara has tried everything, nothing works. She's trying hard to stress herself about it and she hopes he's just having one of his Zuko phases and she decides to just give him space. To keep her mind off the negative she buries herself in her work just as he does.

It's nine at night and she's buried herself in the studio, she has an unwelcome visited tonight.

"You're awfully quiet." Jet comments. "Sometimes you can't ever shut up." He taps his pen on his tablet. She resists rolling her eyes at him. They're supposed to be working together and so far it's mostly him whose been working- working her nerves that is.

She slams her book shoot. "Shut up."

"You're leaving?" He asks when he sees her gathering her things.

"I'm not staying here all night, I have more important things to do."

"By more important you mean finding out why your fiancé has been avoiding you?"

"How'd you-"

"-I know you better than anyone. It's written all over your face." Jet leans back in his chair. "Just don't worry about it."

"Says the man who destroyed my soul and obliterated my heart." She slings her bag over her shoulder. "Good night Jet."

"Night Katara." He mumbles.

It's pouring down raining raining when she finally does make it home. Surprisingly, Zuko is there. She bets he's in one of his moods again. She's soaked by the time she makes it into the house, all of the lights are on. He never puts all the lights on.

"Zuko?" She turns off the record player. "Zuko!" Katara can't find him anywhere downstairs. She looks around in the living room, there are papers and folders scattered on the marble table. Where could he be? She picks up a strange article of clothing from the floor and looks at it. The jacket isn't hers, it isn't even her size plus she doesn't even wear this perfume. Katara balls it up in her hand when catches two figures out on the patio and slams the door open.

_Kenshin._

Zuko and Kenshin.

He looks up at her in surprise, then he smiles while Kenshin tucks away at her hair. On the table are plates of food and bottles of wine, her teeth clench.

"Just what is this?" She asks.

"We were waiting for you to get home- the Sawangao deal was closed today. So we started without you." Zuko stands. "I called you twice tonight, I've been telling you about this since Monday."

"No." Katara holds up her hand to silence him. "No." She shakes her head. "You get out of my house and I don't ever, _ever_ want to see you anywhere again." She tells Kenshin as she throws her jacket to her. Katara watches her leave out the front door in a hurry.

"Now you're having dates with your secretary?" She screeches. "What is wrong with you?"

"It wasn't a date Katara. You were supposed to be here with us. You must've had other things to do."

"Don't try and pin this on me. You were supposed to fire her, you were supposed to get rid of her completely, you said that you would!" She storms back into the house and slams the door behind her. "That's so typical of you- going against what I say, blatantly disrespecting me!"

The door slams back open and he comes in behind her. This is how things have been for the past two weeks. "Disrespect? Without Kenshin we never would've closed that deal."

"Kenshin, Kenshin, Kenshin!" She whips around on him. "Everything's about Kenshin or the corporation or both! You never ask me how day has been, or how I'm feeling, no 'Hey Katara lets go get lunch today!' Or anything like that. You never do anything anymore."

"Everything I do you don't notice it, you look over everything until I fuck up like now! Yore out all day and night not only with Situ, but Jet as well when you know how I feel about that." He takes hold of her shoulders. "You think I appreciate that?"

"I have to work with them, I didn't choose that. There's no way I can get another manager like Situ, I don't have a choose in this like you. You could've gotten rid of her but instead you're keeping around!"

"She's essential to this company!"

"So she's more important than me and how i feel? Is that what you're saying?" She pushes and hits his chest. "That's what you're saying?"

Zuko grabs her hands but she breaks free. He exhales and glares at her. It's a whole before he even answer her. You're talking crazy."

"So she's staying? No matter what I say she's still going to be around isn't she?" She asks, her chest heaving up and down from all the shouting and pushing and shoving.

"You make it sound like I'm sleeping with her."

"You might be. Who knows, you've been so shitty to me lately."

"Just like you might be sleeping with Situ- maybe even Jet too. You might just be, you've been so shitty to me lately."

"You think that?" He's only a few inches away from her now. His hands on both sides of her head. "You may as well be sleeping with her."

"Will you stop being crazy and hard headed for one minute?" He tears away from her.

"You know what Zuko, I'm tired. You're- you let her get you drunk and I'm tired." She pushes him away from her. "Do you know what that means? I'm tired. I'm tired of this. I'm tired of not seeing you, I'm tired of Kenshin and your mood swings."

"Am i not supposed to be tired to?" He asks. "You're becoming sickening with these double standards Katara. I can get tired too."

"Fine. Alright." She doesn't try to blink away the tears that fill her eyes. What's the point? "Since you're too busy for me-"

"-You're days away from being out my life for damn near two years." He over talks her. So this is what all of this about? "How can I cope with that? I can't! How can I cope with you constantly off somewhere with those two?"

"So you're jealous and this is how you show it? Know what? Go ahead, do what you want to Zuko- I can't… I won't deal with this now."

"Don't say that, Katara."

"Do whatever you wanna do!" She shouts back at him. She grabs her bag and slams the front door open. "I'm not about to be around you when you're like this."

"You don't want me to do whatever I want Katara."

"And why not?" She unlocks her car, Zuko pulls her back to him. It's pouring down raining still, and they're both getting soaked but she doesn't care. She just wants to get away from him, she can't be around him right now, not when he's like this.

"Because you won't do that, you won't hurt the ones who you love. You know yourself you don't want me to do whatever I want."

"And why is that?"

"Because you know I can hurt you in ways that you've never been hurt before, and you don't want that. Because you know that letting me in your life, letting me love you and care about you gave me all the cards I would need to tear you apart. But I won't do that." He tells her. "Just come back in the house Katara."

"Do it. Tear me apart and hurt me like I've never been hurt before." She stares up at him with a face full of tears. "Do it. I _dare_ you."

"Fine."

"Fine." She nods at him. Zuko watches her speed off down the long driveway.

This is for the best.

**.0.**

**Sorry about this chapter.**

**I don't feel I did too good on it.**

**It's sucky.**

**But the days are counting down until Katara has to leave- IF she leaves. Who knows? Only me. Lol.**

**Are they over or what?**

**It's only one chapter left...**

**Anyways, read and review.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Story Title:** I Won't Give Up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full Summary: After a terrible experience with her last relationship Katara wants nothing to do with men at all but a certain Zuko Agni will stop at nothing to show Katara that all men are not the same. A fanfic Just for fun!**

**A:N: Katara and Zuko will go through real love, not fairytale endings and all that happiness and junk. A love that's perfect Isn't real. I KNOW what I'm doing. Anyways- I have something to make it all better.**

**BTW,**

**Nina Dobrev is leaving the Vamire Diaries.**

**Like, why?**

**So there won't be a season seven. They'd better make the season finale hella good!**

**Twenty Five**

Who hasn't been down the bottom of a couple bottles in their lifetime? She's been at that phase a plenty of times. Sokka used to be like that too back in high school. He was smart, he quit and got help. Katara never was able to pull herself out from it.

"Katara?" Situ asks. "I thought you left." He crouches down in front of her with a concerned expression. "What- what the hell happened to you?"

"Can you just leave alone? Why is that so hard for people to do?" She throws the bottle over the balcony. It crashes when it makes it down to the concrete below.

"Get up- dammit Katara!" He try to hoist her up to her feet but she's nothing but dead weight right now. She slumps back against the wall with her hands on her lap.

"Where's your phone? I'm calling Zuko to get you."

"He doesn't want me." She whispers. She can't make out his expression in this dark corner and she hopes that he can't see her that well. He pulls her to her feet again and this time with ease, he brings her back into the lobby and she has to squint her eyes closed from the bright lights.

"What are you talking about?" He shrugs off his coat and puts it over her shoulders. "You're just drunk."

"It takes more than two bottles of bourbon to get me drunk!" She slings the jacket off and shoves it to him.

"Well you're just talking out of your head then."

"You love this. You love it when me and him fight. He won't come with me on the tour, I can't stay. He won't get rid of Kenshin- he had dinner with her in my house, my house! He isn't who I fell in love with."

"You two had a fight. I'm believing that this is how you got these." He pulls out her arms and examines the dark bruises around her wrists and on her upper arms. Some have scabs on them from the little burn marks. Situ glowers at them and looks up at her in mild disgust. "He did this didn't he?"

She doesn't respond.

"Let's go." He takes her hand and leads her out of the lobby.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm putting you in a hotel tonight."

"I don't want to go to a hotel!" She jerks her hand away from him and walks in the opposite direction. She digs her keys out of her bra and wipes her eyes, she's sure she looks like a raccoon now. It's nearly twelve at night and they're the only two in the parking lot, she wraps her arms around herself. Situ goes behind her to bring her back but she fights him when he makes it to her.

"Stop it!" He locks her hands in front of her. "Don't you have a brother and a father? You have friends don't you? I'll take you there- I'll take you wherever you want to go but you're not driving like this Katara."

"I can't go to a hotel. I can't let them… I can't let the others see me like this."

He stares at her a moment. Then he sighs and kicks at a random stone on the ground. He's fighting with himself over something, she's seen this before.

"Alright, I'll take you somewhere else. Do you trust me?"

"I do."

"Good, let's go." He takes her hand again and this time leads her to his car.

When she gets into his car she immediately lays the seat back and covers her face with his jacket. She closes her eyes and tries to relax, she can feel her phone vibrating in her pocket, she ignores it. She already knows who it is, she doesn't want to talk to him.

"Are you cold?"

"No."

"Did you want to get something to eat?"

"No."

"Did you want to go to a hospital or something first?"

"No. I just want to lay here and die- just let me drown in my own tears." She muffles.

"You aren't dying, not on my watch at least." Situ turns the heat on for her anyway. "Just calm down Katara."

"I am calm."

He snatches the jacket off of her and frowns. "You're still crying."

"Let me be sulky in peace." She says as she wipes her eyes. Situ doesn't say anything after that, she appreciates it.

His condo is big. It's way too much space for one person but it's convenient at the same time. Everything's so clean and organized. Maybe he has a maid. Situ has disappeared somewhere in the back she looks around until he comes back.

"You can sleep in my bedroom, I'll take the couch." He tosses some blankets and pillows onto the sofa.

"I don't want to put you out of your bed, and I don't want to sleep in it. There's no telling what you some females have done in there."

"You really think that less of me?" He laughs.

"I'm just being realistic."

"Realism? At one in the morning, Katara just go to sleep. Don't you have something to do in the morning?"

"An interview with Jet and some lady." She picks up a object of the coffee table. "I'm not doing it."

"They're paying you."

"I don't care."

"Just-" he runs a hand through his hair and exhales. "Just go to sleep."

"Alright, fine." She sits the artwork back down and follows his pointed finger through a bedroom door. His bedroom is just as big as

The living room. There's a huge bed, a dresser, a chest at the foot of the bed, and a chesser drawer. She guesses that the other two doors are the bathroom and closet. There's isn't a television in the room, she can't sleep in complete silence.

She takes the jacket off and puts it on the chest. When she turns around a shirt has been tossed to her.

"Or you can sleep in wet clothes. It's your choice." He shrugs. He leaves out the room for her to change and she takes off her wet clothes wet clothes and slips on his t shirt. She balls them all up and puts them besides the bed on the floor.

She can hear a shower running in the front somewhere, she guesses that he won't be coming in the bedroom anytime soon. That's fine with her, he's the last person that she expected to be spending the night with. Katara sits on the plush bed and lays back. Her phone vibrates and rings on the night stand. She doesn't want to talk, she doesn't want to talk to anyone as a matter of fact.

She closes her eyes to see if theres any bit of tiredness in her that would make her fall asleep, there is none. Her eyes snap back open and she gets off the bed. She pauses to pull down the shirt that has risen up to her thighs. She has intentions on leaving the room to search for something that'll make her fall asleep, but that plan changed drastically. When she opens the bedroom door she doesn't expect to see a wall of skin blocking her path.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I was- I was just…" she doesn't know how to get her words out.

"What?" He presses.

She clears her throat and looks behind him at a piece of artwork on the wall. Anything is better to look at than his naked chest. "It's nothing."

He looks as if he doesn't believe her for a moment but he shakes it off. "Go to sleep Katara." He orders without looking at her. He closes the door and leaves her standing there.

**.0.**

"What is this?" Jet asks the next morning in her dressing room. He picks up her arm and frowns deeply at what he sees. "How'd this happen?"

"I'll be right back miss, this concealer shade isn't the right one." Mao Shin says before she scurries on out of the room. She must've felt that something was about to happen- or maybe she does need a new shade.

"It's nothing-"

"-Don't give me that shit Katara! These are burn marks, you think I'm stupid?" He drops her arms and leans on the makeup table. "He did that to you? He did, didn't he?"

"It's not your business."

"He did." He leans up off the table with balled fists and narrowed eyes. "I'll kill him!"

Even though Jet broke her heart and obliterated her soul, even though he's arrogant, egotistical, and self righteous, no matter what he's always, always been protective of her. It doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon. Katara puts on her jacket and tries to leave the room but he stops her.

"You're the last person who should be worrying about what hurt me." She pulls away from him and adjusts her sweater. "You have no right Jet."

"I never hit you Katara. I never went that far!"

"First of all he didn't hit me."

"But he was mad enough to do that. You and me both know how those fire benders are when they get mad." Jet's parents were killed in a fire that was caused by fire benders, that triggered his major dislike for them.

"Maybe if you wouldn't have done all those things you did I wouldn't be going through this now."

"This isn't about Katara, he burned you." He gestures wildly to her arms and wrists. "He hurt you."

"So did you, so I guess you two are even now." He flinches at her words because he knows that they're true. If she was able to turn back time and change everything that she's done, she wouldn't change meeting Jet. She's learned too much from him.

The door opens and Mao shin comes back

In with a huge grin, a small bottle in her hand. "I found it, they put it in the box with the primers, idiots."

"I have to finish getting ready Jet, in privacy if you don't mind." She sits back down in the chair and watches him through the mirror until he storms out of the room.

After the interview, which was outrageously long for twenty minutes, Katara spends the rest of the day at the hotel room she's booked, pacing back and forth contemplating on her current situation.

Two and a half weeks.

That's how long she has until she has to leave.

She's going to miss Sokka and Suki's wedding.

She's going to miss all of her friends birthdays.

She's going to miss her home, her family, her friends.

But they understand, they support her.

Zuko is taking it harder than anyone. A year and a half, eighteen months, 547.863 days without Zuko. When he calls her she always misses it and when she calls him back he doesn't answer. Like a few minutes ago he called but she was in the shower. She knows she can't keep running and putting it off so instead of racking her brains out she decides to go by him instead. They have a lot to talk about and so little time to do it in, she's willing to put aside her stubbornness and behave like an adult. If she can do that with Jet she can do it with anyone.

When she makes it to the house he isn't anywhere to be found. He isn't in his study, in the bedroom, or in the shower. When she goes out in the yard she finds him in the pool- in this weather. It's below thirty degrees and he's swimming in the outside? Why didn't he just use the inside pool?

She sits down on the edge of the pool and waits for him to come up for air. Katara forgot how long he cold hold his breath for, he's probably going to be under there a while. She sweeps her arm across In quick motion and sends the water out of the pool and into the grass- she leans over the side when she's done. He groans as he pulls himself up from the bottom of the pool.

She smiles when he looks up at her. "I was just trying to get your attention, I didn't mean to hurt you…much."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I havent bent in a long time. Are you going to stay out here to catch a cold or you are you going to come inside?" She stands up and goes back into the house. He eventually comes in behind her. She looks around the living room, he'll need to hire a maid soon. There's no way she's going to be cleaning this herself.

He messes around the fireplace before he lights it and throws in more wood to feed it. "Where were you?"

"A hotel. Where were you?"

"I was here, trying to find you." He says In a matter of fact like tone.

"Don't start trying to a- what happened to your hand?" She picks it up, his knuckles are swollen red and cut. "Wait, never mind." She already knows what happened to it.

"Jet happened, twice." He mumbles. He inspects her wrists, pulls her sleeves up higher. "I didn't know, I didn't know I burned you." His eyes are full of confusion and regret. He's a fire bender, he shouldn't mind burning things.

"I hate burning people. That's why I hate it. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, it'll heal."

"Then why isn't it healed yet?"

"I haven't had-" He moves and crushes her to his body. She doesn't care that he's still wet, or if he's ruining her clothes. Shen wraps her arms around him and pulls him tighter against him. She's missed this, his warmth and security. She's going to miss this.

Zuko squeezes her. "Three weeks Katara.

I can't… I can't do this."

"I'm not gone yet. I'm not leaving tonight." She runs her fingers through his damp hair and closes her eyes. The pain in his voice makes her break on the inside. She wants to tell him that she'll stay, that she'll marry him and have his children, but she can't do that. Right now she just can't "Just make it count Zuko, please."

He nods into her neck. "Make it count. We will."

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"I love batman." Katara says in a laugh. "He's the best hero ever."

Zuko scoffs loudly and rolls onto his back.

"What's funny?"

"He doesn't even have any superpowers."

She rolls her eyes. "That doesn't mean he's not a hero, he can fight just as well without them."

"What about Spider-Man?"

"He's okay."

"What do you mean he's okay? He swings from rooftops and fights crime."

"But a spider bit him, and he's always getting beat up."

"You win some you lose some. Are we going to talk about heroes and villains all morning or are we going to go do something?"

"That depends. Whose your favorite?"

"I have a favorite villain but not a favorite super hero." He confesses.

Katara leans back against the headboard and flicks through channels on television. "Who is it?"

"Cat woman."

"She isn't a villain."

"She's a thief."

"I don't like her." Katara scoffs.

"You don't like anyone." Zuko lays his head down on her lap.

She strokes his head. "I like you. I love you."

"Until when?"

"Infinity."

"Til infinity." He laces his fingers through hers, and she closes her eyes and cherishes this moment.

**.0.**

"Where are we going?" Zuko asks. He clutched onto the door handle in the car as Katara speeds through the city. She's been going over the speed limit the entire way and barely missed wrecks. He's taken three weeks off from work so that he can spend this time with her before she leaves. So far things have been going great.

"To the performing arts academy." She doesn't take her eyes off the road but she does turn the heater up.

"Why?"

"Because there's a little girl there that I want to see."

"They won't let you into that school, that security is too tight. No one there is related to you." He knows because he once went there. "Is that why you have all these balloons?"

"Yep. It's her birthday." She scoffs. "And watch me."

They let her in.

They let her in once they found out who she was. The teachers, janitors, and even the principle bombards her for pictures and autographs. They trample over Zuko to get to her. The assistant principle takes her to the girls classroom, she's an elderly women with pitch black hair that's tied up in a bun. The children were in the middle of taking a test when they go in, even the children love and know Katara.

The girls name is Tyka, she has long wavy hair and chocolate eyes. She's the daughter of the mover that Zuko hired, he remembers now.

"So Tyka, what's your favorite song?" Katara asks her. "Pick any one. I'll do it special for you."

"I like amazing grace." Tyka tells her, and that's what Katara sings for her, amazing grace.

She holds out her hand to him, he declines it and scowls.

"Come on Zuko." Katara reaches for him again but he steps out of her reach.

"No."

"But it's fun!"

"It's not."

"Don't tell me you're scared."

"I fear nothing."

"I fear nothing." She mocks. "Come on, I won't let you fall. I promise."

Zuko glares at her. "I'm not getting on the ice Katara." He says stubbornly.

"Ice skating is fun, you'll love it. Just come on. Even the little kids are doing it."

"No, Katara."

"Please." She asks. "Zuko, please come."

"This isn't the bedroom or anywhere, why do I need to come?"

"Zuko!" She blushes. "Just- just get on the ice, please. Do you want the entire world

To know that you're afraid of ice skating?" There are photographers around the ring, snapping pictures of her and since Zuko is with her that means he's in the limelight too.

He looks down at her gloved hand and then back up at her eager face in caution.

"I'll take care of you. I won't let you go." She takes both of his hands. "Ready?"

"I don't think-" she pulls him onto the ice before he can finish.

"Just don't think about it too much, do what I what I do." She says. "See, it's easy." She holds his hand as they go around the ring. Zuko's never ice skated before, this is completely new to him. He still doesn't feel comfortable being over so much frozen water that can cave in at any moment.

"We've went around this thing twice, can we leave now?"

"No, let's go faster!" When she reaches lets his hand go so that he can skate on his own but he grabs her, a little too roughly, and sends them both tumbling over onto the ice and Katara thinks it's just the funniest thing in the world. And it's alright, because now she's happy- Zuko loves seeing her happy.

He'll do anything to see her happy.

"Are you sure it's alright for you to take three weeks off?" Katara asks unsurely. "You just got there, they'll think you're abusing your power."

Zuko looks as though he doesn't care. "I am abusing it. I don't care." He stops at a tall tree and looks back at her. "What about this one?"

She examines the branches "It's too skinny. Look at this one."

"It's way too big, it'll take up the entire room."

"It's perfect!"

"Katara, it's disfigured." She looks offended at his choice of words.

"You said I'd pick out the tree and you'd pick out the ornaments." She reminds him with a puff of her chest like Sokka does when he wins an argument or closes a case.

"We can't just get any tree Katara, its our first Christmas. This tree isn't right." He scratches the back of his neck and eyes the tree with disapproval.

"How isn't it right?"

"it's ugly." He says simply.

She laughs out loud. "Excuse me?"

"It's ugly, look at it. Mines is better."

"I was appointed tree duty, so I pick this glorious, beautiful, majestic tree." She pats its branches. They've been here since eight and it's now eleven, and they still have to go to her father's house before three. That's when she has to bring the concert managers and stage directors her photo album for Christmas. Time is flying by, but Zuko and Katara are living these days as much as they can with one another.

Zuko reaches into his pocket and pulls out a coin. "We'll flip on it."

"We don't have to do that, because I'm getting this tree right here." She replies stubbornly.

"This will save a lot of time, I'll call heads. If it land on tails you can get the hideous tree and pick out the decorations."

"All the decorations? I can choose the outside ones too?"

"Yes, you can choose the outside ones two. Are you ready?"

"Always." She watches him flip the coin in the air and it lands in between them on the floor. It lands on heads and she kicks at the ground.

"I'll go tell them to load my tree up." Zuko says rather smugly.

She scoffs as she watches him walk off to the front. "Whatever." She looks at the coin on the ground and picks it up. It's a strange looking coin, she's never seen one of these before. When she turns it over she gapes.

"Zuko!" She shouts as she runs to the front behind him. "This is a double headed coin, you cheater!"

"You were very sloppy as a child." Zuko comments as he goes through the hand picked baby photos of Katara- a chubby, tanned skinned baby with big blue eyes and short curly hair.

Hakoda chuckles. "Very is the word for it. She used to eat boogers too, all the time back to back-"

"-That is the most embarrassing thing that you have ever said." Katara covers her face with a throw pillow and slinks down in her seat.

"Don't get me started on the toilet water phase."

"Oh my gosh…"

Zuko flips through the laminates photographs. He comes across a picture of Katara with another woman who looks exactly like she's looking now. The same smile, dimes, eyes and cheekbones- it's her mother. "You look exactly alike."

"You think so?" She asks, removing the pillow with a bright smile on her face.

Zuko nods. "She's beautiful." She leans into him

Hakoda watches the couple and smiles. His daughter is finally happy. "How about we start back to when she was three and she thought she was the queen of all things cute…"

The entire set is filled with shouts along with the occasional crashing of objects being thrown. The managers look down at the dressing room in caution, each daring the other to go in for the kill. Zuko moves past them to see what the problem is, Katara was fine this morning when he left at the house he wonders what could've upset her like this.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you, well if I were you I wouldn't do a lot of things." Situ drawls from his leaned position on the wall.

Even though he's the last person Zuko wants to see, he's been here longer than him. He may even be the reason as to why she's going crazy. "What's wrong with her?"

"Like I know. She's starting to chicken out for some reason." He shrugs.

When Zuko opens the door to the destroyed dressing room Katara is in the middle of the floor sitting Indian style with dozens of random cosmetics around her.

"I asked for fire engine red lipstick. This is brick red." She throws the lipstick down on the floor. "I'm not going out there."

Zuko closes the door behind him. "You have to go out there. People are waiting on you. You're really crying over lipstick?"

"I've never been on television before, I can't do this! All those people watching, and cameras all on me…"

"You've had interviews before haven't you? This shouldn't be any different."

"I've done magazines Zuko." She shakes her head. "I'm not doing this."

A knock at the door stops Zuko's out coming sentence and a woman walks in. She looks like she's been crying for a week straight. Katara stands and rushes over to her.

"Sonzae? What's wrong?" She asks her. "You're crying, what's the matter?"

Sonzae begin crying again, eyes puffy and red. "I know what you did."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know what you did to my father!" She shouts.

Katara's mouth opens but no words come out, her entire mind goes blank.

Zuko looks at her expectantly. "What's she talking about Katara?" She doesn't answer, she just walks away in the room with her hands on her hips, her expression unreadable.

"I don't know."

"She knows." Sonzae sniffs and wipes her eyes. "She's the one who killed Yon Rha."

"You're out of your mind. There's no way she could've done something like that." Zuko comments rudely.

"Just how well do you know her?"

"Well enough to know that she isn't a killer!"

"It looks to me that you two have a lot of talking to do then."

"You're supposed to be out in three minutes Katara." Situ says impatiently as he bursts into the room. "What's going on here?"

"She needs to leave." Zuko says evenly.

Sonzae shakes her head stiffly. "Not until she fesses up."

"There's nothing to fess up to."

"You don't know that, you're her fiancée you'll believe anything that she says."

"What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing. She's crazy."

Situ takes hold of Sonzae's arms and tries to pull her out of the room. "We don't have time for this. Sonzae, just leave."

"No."

"You're starting confusion and this isn't the time for this. Whatever problems you have with her you'll have to wait until she's off the set."

"Not until she says what she did!"

"She didn't do you anything, Katara-"

"Yes!" She throws her hands up in the air and spins around. The three sets of eyes immediately snap on her. "She's right."

"Right about what Katara?"

"I did it." She says thickly. "I… I killed her father."

**.0.**

**So, The little segments in this chapter were the cute times that Katara and Zuko spent together. Also, don't worry about this fanfic. I know what I'm doing. It'll all play out the way it's supposed to. They're still together aren't they? Anyways, it's one last chapter. This was actually supposed to be the last chapter but i wanted to make the last one dramatic. Lol.**

**Anyways**

**Read and review.**

**But wait!**

**Have you guys ever heard that county singer Danielle bradbery? She's amazing! It's like I've been on a spree lately with all these ideas bursting in my head but I don't wanna overwhelm you all. :-( oh well, until Thursday.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Story Title**: I Won't Give Up

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary:**

**Twenty Six**

It wasn't hard for her to put two and two together, at least for Sonzae it wasn't. She should've known she'd find out sooner or later, but she never expected it to turn out like this.

Sonzae forgives her.

She forgives her because she knows the monster that he is, she knows what Katara told him is true because he was the same monster with her, and she forgives her.

She's strong enough to forgive her.

Zuko hasn't said anything to her since they made it back home. He's stayed in his office the entire time, probably wondering who this woman is that he proposed to. Katara doesn't even think that he came to bed last night. She sinks deeper into tub. Her album has come out today but she's chosen to skip out on the party, she isn't in the mood.

Zuko comes in and sits on the edge of the tub. He's quiet a minute before he speaks. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to bring that incident back to my mind."

"I can understand that but Katara…" he rubs his face. "How did you- who else knows?"

"Sokka knows but we don't talk about it. Can we not talk about this? It's a head ache."

"Things like this you shouldn't keep from me Katara."

"That what I did was a part of the person I used to be, I did not want you to have to experience that person Zuko. You'd hate her."

"I don't care about your past Katara, you don't live there anymore." He smooths her hair out of her face. "I wasn't there. This won't change how I feel about you. I could never hate you."

When he leaves her, a lone tear falls down her cheek.

She watches him as he sleeps, or at least pretends to be sleep. Her hand moves up and down his back in slow, warm patterns. Two weeks left, and she doesn't think that they'll be able to manage. Zuko shifts and turns on his side to face her, her hand moves to behind his neck and her thumb strokes his cheekbone. He wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her into him before he lays her leg around his waist.

"What's wrong?"

She burrows her head into his chest. "Everything."

"It'll get better." He kisses the top of her head. "I promise."

**.0.**

_I don't remember one moment I tried to forget_

_I lost myself yet I'm better not sad_

_Now I'm closer to the edge_

_It was a a thousand to one and a million to two_

_Time to go down in flames and I'm taking you_

_Closer to the edge_

_No I'm not saying I'm sorry_

_One day, maybe we'll meet again_

_No I'm not saying I'm sorry_

_One day, maybe we'll meet again_

_No, no, no, no_

Katara watches Jet's performance from backstage. She's forgotten just how good he is. Look at the crowd, this teenage crowd, they're going crazy for him, jumping up and down and standing on top of each other. She spots a white head in the crowd, Is that Yue? She squints her eyes, it is Yue- sitting on Sokka's shoulders and going wild to this song. She's very energetic when it comes to rock concerts as pumped as this one. Everyone's here, including Azula, Ty Lee and Ursa. Wait… Ursa? she bursts out laughing. Zuko has to handle some business tonight with Ozai and Azulon, whatever that is.

_Can you imagine a time when the truth ran free_

_A birth of a song, a death of a dream_

_Closer to the edge_

_This never ending story, paid for with pride and faith_

_We all fall short of glory, lost in ourself_

_No I'm not saying I'm sorry_

_One day, maybe we'll meet again_

_No I'm not saying I'm sorry_

_One day, maybe we'll meet again_

_No, no, no, no_

_No, no, no, no_

_I will never forget_

_No, no_

_I will never regret_

_No, no_

_I will live my life_

_No, no, no, no_

_I will never forget_

_No, no_

_I will never regret_

_No, no_

_I will live my life_

Someone comes behind her and begins tousling her already wild hair. She continues to watch the show in interest. She's never seen a crowd like this. The guitar riffs drive them mad, and Jet gives them everything that they crave; That energy and wildness that he expresses as he moves around the stage. Owning it- she should take notes. That's what she has to do, own it.

_No I'm not saying I'm sorry_

_One day, maybe we'll meet again_

_No, no_

_No, I'm not saying I'm sorry_

_One day, maybe we'll meet again_

_No, no, no, no_

_Closer to the edge_

_Closer to the edge_

_No, no, no, no_

_Closer to the edge_

_Closer to the edge_

_No, no, no, no_

As Jet starts his second song, she shifts under the many hands that are adjusting her outfit for this evening as she returns to her dressing room. She has to wear a black sweetheart bodysuit that has a leather band around the waist. It makes it a little tighter than it already is but she can deal with it. There's a feather thing- she'll just say it's a short black feather collar around her neck that really makes her look wild and dangerous.

She likes it, even though she'll just change into something else for her second performance.

Mao Shin has made her makeup so dark and dramatic, her hair color has been lifted three shades lighter and is in big wild curls that are partially pulled away from her face. She nearly took with a heart attack when the stylist cut her bangs, but it came out amazing. She's up after him, doing two of her songs as well. She's a bit nervous, she's never done anything this big before.

Katara taps her foot on the floor in the six inch heels she's wearing as se adjusts the dangling earrings in her ears. She takes a picture in the full length mirror while she's still able to move freely and sends it off to Zuko. As a matter of fact, she takes a lot more. She sits in front of the lighted vanity mirror and checks the feed on the concert so far.

"That Jet, he's pretty hot." Zina, the nail tech says as she pours herself and Katara a drink. Katara takes the glass and mumbles a low thanks. Suspiciously, she looks at the glass and then it's bluish contents. Just what's this stuff supposed to be? She's never seen colored liquor before. She sniffs it, it smells fruity. As she continues to criticize the drink she overhears the other women in the room still swooning from the Freedom Fighter's lead singer. She dramatically rolls her eyes and takes a sip from her glass. It tingles in her throat and goes down smoothly. It taste like pure blueberries! It's delicious! She drinks the rest of the bottle by herself, hopefully they won't ask where it went.

'Zuko is too, have you seen him? He's so gorgeous and not to mention rich!'

'I remember seeing the entire Agni family together once last year, they're beautiful!'

'Especially Zuko. How id love to-'

"Zuko Agni is off limits." Katara says sharply. When they look at her she stares back at them intently, making sure that they got her point. "If you didn't know."

It's quiet now. She leans back in her chair and spins around, this stuff has really loosened her up. She no longer has the jitters and she's got a new air to her. She feels like she can do anything. Katara pulls on her elbow length black gloves just as Situ comes through the door.

He looks at the rest of her entourage haughtily and gestures over his shoulder. "Shouldn't you all be working? Get out there." He steps to the side so they can trample out of the room. The people here really are intimated by Situ, he's so intense all the time. And yet he's so sarcastic and egotistical, she guessed that's why he's single. But then again some woman broke his heart and took the pieces when she left- it's turned him into her old self.

He closes the door and eyes the empty bottle with disapproval. "You remember your steps?"

"Yes."

"Lines?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

She laughs a little. "Of course I'm sure. Relax."

"This is your mic. I had it made custom for this month." He hands it to her and she marvels over it.

"This is pretty." She examines the mic, turning it in all directions. It's covered in diamonds or cubic zirconia, she can't tell the difference. They're really shiny and bright, did he pick this out himself? Katara grips it in her hand and muses at the new feeing. It's like it's supposed to be there.

"I love it, thank you." He only shrugs at her words. But she gets up and hugs him. He freezes before his hands settle on her waist and he hugs her more than she should like.

"I can't have you singing off key with a rusty mic. Are you ready? He's almost done."

"Yes." She holds her hand out for him to take when he releases her. "Are you gonna escort me to the stage like they do in the movies?"

He gives her a dry look when he pulls her out into the hallway to the flashing lights and cheers. "You should be happy!" She pokes. "This is big, we wade it."

"I am happy."

"Then smile."

"I don't need to smile."

By now Jet has came backstage, sweating and looking as wild as ever receiving pats on the back and applauds. The host is starting to make her introduction now. She drops Situ's hand and stands with her hands on her hips.

"I'm not going out until my manager smiles about tonight!" She tells the crew. "They're gonna be mad when I don't go out there!" There are some laughs and comments of encouragement around the room, he gives her a look that obviously says 'you're drunk.' She's not drunk, she's just feeling good about tonight- but that drink did get rid of the preshow jitters.

"They'll start running over the security if you take too long!" Someone says.

"That's fine I have all night!"

"Are you going out or not Katara?"

"Cut my mic on- it's on? Okay, thank you." Katara taps her mic in her hand to test the sound.

"Thank you!" Situ comments. "Now let's go."

"I'm not coming out on stage until my manager gives me a worthy smile." She says into the mic. "U want it on the big screen, he doesn't seem to happy tonight." Her voice echoes everywhere and she's sure that she hears a riot outside.

She isn't phased by his heated looks of impatience and annoyance, they've made it this far she wants to see some happiness in him for once. The backstage and crowd starts chanting smile, smile, smile when the camera pulls him up on the screen. Situ looks at her, still in his aggravated stance, but his eyes light up and the corner of his lips turn up. The crowd, the women to be more exact, go wild.

"Thank you." Katara tells him. He mouths the words 'get your ass on stage." She doesn't have to be told twice, she goes behind her backup dancers to the stairs.

_For those who don't know me,_

_I can get a bit crazy_

_Have to get my way,yep_

_24 hours a day_

_'cause I'm hot like that_

_Every guy, everywhere_

_just gives me mad attention_

_Like I'm under inspection_

_I always gets a ten,_

_'cause I'm built like that_

_I go through guys like money_

_flyin' out the hands_

_They try to change me_

_but they realize they can't_

_And every tomorrow is a day I never plan_

_If you're gonna be my man understand_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be blamed_

_I can't, can't, I can't, can't be tamed_

_I can't be changed_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be, can't, I can't be tamed_

_If there was a question about my intentions,_

_I'll tell ya_

_I'm not here to sell ya_

_Or tell you to go to hell_

_(I'm not a brat like that)_

_I'm like a puzzle_

_but all of my pieces are jagged_

_If you can understand this,_

_we can make some magic,_

_I'm wrong like that_

_I wanna fly,_

_I wanna drive,_

_I wanna go_

_I wanna be a part of something I don't know_

_And if you try to hold me back I might explode_

_Baby, by now you should know_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be blamed_

_I can't, can't, I can't, can't be tamed_

_I can't be changed_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be, can't, I can't be tamed_

_Well I'm not a trick you play,_

_I'm wired a different way_

_I'm not a mistake,_

_I'm not a fake,_

_It's set in my DNA_

_Don't change me_

_Don't change me_

_Don't change me_

_Don't change me_

_(I can't be tamed)_

_I wanna fly,_

_I wanna drive,_

_I wanna go_

_I wanna be a part of something I don't know_

_And if you try to hold me back I might explode_

_Baby, by now you should know_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be blamed_

_I can't, can't, I can't, can't be tamed_

_I can't be changed_

_I can't be tamed_

_I can't be, can't, I can't be tamed_

_He said, "I've been where you've been before._

_Down every hallway's a slamming door._

_No way out, no one to come and save me._

_Wasting a life that the Good Lord gave me._

_Then somebody said what I'm saying to you,_

_Opened my eyes and told me the truth."_

_They said, "Just a little faith, it'll all get better."_

_So I followed that preacher man down to the river and now I'm changed_

_And now I'm stronger_

_There must've been something in the water_

_Oh, there must've been something in the water_

_Well, I heard what he said and I went on my way_

_Didn't think about it for a couple of days_

_Then it hit me like a lightning late one night_

_I was all out of hope and all out of fight_

_Couldn't fight back the tears so I fell on my knees_

_Saying, "God, if you're there come and rescue me."_

_Felt love pouring down from above_

_Got washed in the water, washed in the blood and now I'm changed_

_And now I'm stronger_

_There must be something in the water_

_Oh, there must be something in the water_

_And now I'm singing along to amazing grace_

_Can't nobody wipe this smile off my face_

_Got joy in my heart, angels on my side_

_Thank God almighty, I saw the light_

_Gonna look ahead, no turning back_

_Live every day, give it all that I have_

_Trust in someone bigger than me_

_Ever since the day that I believed I am changed_

_And now I'm stronger_

_There must be something in the water (amazing grace)_

_Oh, there must be something in the water (how sweet the sound)_

_Oh, there must be something in the water (that saved a wretch)_

_Oh, there must be something in the water (like me)_

_Oh, yeah_

_I am changed (I once was lost)_

_Stronger (but now I'm found)_

_(was blind but now I see)_

"Hey." Katara taps him on his shoulder. "Leaving off to go brood?" Situ looks at her with humor flashing in his eyes. Katara figures that the sorority girls with their tight jeans and youthful spirits must've loosened him up a bit. She's glistening with sweat but that didn't stop the people from crowding her for pictures and hugs and autographs.

"It's late, there's things to do tomorrow."

"We're all going to go the bar and grill, you should come with us."

"I think the liquor has impaired your heading Katara."

"Why are you always so standoffish?"

"It's a difference between being standoffish and professional."

"Just like its a difference between being conservative and plain on boring. You never had any fun and-"

"-If I come will you stop talking?"

"Yes." She says. "Maybe."

"Then I'll come." He's trying to make his words sound like he means them, but Katara can see right through it.

**.0.**

It's three in the morning on Christmas Eve and she's up wrapping presents, she has so much to do today including some show at a bar and last minute shopping. Tomorrow is Christmas, she has her own big concert that she's scared to death of and at eight o'clock that following night she's going to be on a plane out of the city.

She's scared of that too.

Her and Zuko have been missing each other lately. He's taken off work until the twenty seventh but he's still being called in on important cases and problems keep coming up. Luckily he's sleeping now and that's something he hasn't been getting a lot of lately. She's gotten him what she thinks is the perfect present- but she doesn't want him to open it on Christmas. Katara wants him to open it when he feels he needs to the most. Besides her Toby snores loudly on the rug under the decorated tree with shredded wrapping rapper still in his mouth. He wouldn't let her wrap his toys.

She gathers up her supplies and puts them back in the box. Toby awakens and followers her into the kitchen and then up the stairs to the bedroom. It's completely dark but she doesn't mind. She isn't afraid of the dark when she's with Zuko, he makes everything better. She slides in next to him and shakes him twice while calling his name. He's out cold until she plants kisses from his cheek down to his neck, a habit that's formed over time.

She sighs and lies back and plays around on her phone until she's able to fall asleep, which is probably a bad idea because once she starts surfing the web she can't stop. Just as she expected she would, she falls asleep with her phone in her hand just as the sun rises.

Zuko has her in the stores early the next morning. He nearly ripped her out of the bed and tossed her into the shower. She walks beside him, clutching his arm through the crowded mall like a slug. She seriously did not get enough sleep last night.

"What are we looking for again?" She asks. "I thought we had everything."

"I still don't have my mother's gifts." He tells her and pulls her into the elevator. Yue calls her in hysterics as soon as the doors close.

"Come to the house as soon as you're done, and promise me you'll come alone." Yue says in a hushed voice. Exactly where is she? It's so quiet, too quiet as a matter of fact.

"Alright, what's going on?"

She breathes deeply into the phone. "I can't… I can't tell you that right now."

"Something is wrong-"

"-Just promise me you'll come Katara! Promise me!"

"Okay, I promise you. I'll be there as soon as we're done."

"Alright. You just hurry up." She hangs up after that and Katara looks at zuko and shrugs. He heard everything.

He takes off his scarf and balls it up. "Is everything alright?"

"Yue is having some kind of crisis, it's probably nothing." The doors open and the two walk out of the glass elevator. "Do you have any idea of what to get her?"

"Not really. You're the one with the good ideas."

"Jewelry, women love jewelry." She suggests. He takes her to Ursa's favorite jeweler, and Katara sees why it's her favorite. The jewelry is so fine- not to mention expensive- and there's people who come around with glasses of champagne and small fruit tarts. Zuko talks to the man behind the counter about a bracelet while Katara looks at rings. A golden ring with a small diamond heart in the center catches her attention. It's simple and sweet but Katara doesn't think it's mother-worthy. This is a tuff one, what do you get a woman who already has everything?

Someone taps her shoulder. "Excuse me miss?"

Katara turns around and moves her hair out of her face. The person who touched her is an older woman with extremely black hair and twinkling amber eyes. She has on a nurses uniform and her name tag reads Milita, that's a strange name.

"I know you don't know me but I work at the children's hospital." Her voice is very soft and sweet. "You're name is Katara Khalan, am I right?"

"Uh, yeah. You don't want any pictures or anything do you? I really look like crap right now." She says honestly in a dry tone.

The woman laughs. "Actually no, no pictures miss. Since tomorrow's Christmas Day and since I've run into you here I was wondering if you could perhaps stop by tomorrow, the children don't get much entertainment."

"Why don't they?"

"The city thinks that second hand toys and occasional life size teddy bears are enough. They're sick, they're children and they need a smile." She says with determination. Katara takes a flyer that the woman gives her. "Will you please consider?"

Katara looks up at the woman, so much expectation and hope in her eyes. She's going to have a shitload of stuff to do tomorrow not to mention the concert and the gift giving and all that. She looks back down at the flyer, they are just children. Every child deserves to be happy. Situ probably won't be too happy about her making bookings on her own but she doesn't really have to consult him about this. This is her decision.

"I'll come." She folds the paper up and puts it in her bag. "How about three? But I can't stay long."

"You will?" Milita's eyes widen a bit and then return to their normal size.

"Yeah, I'll be be there." The woman hugs her tightly- a little too tightly. It'll be really tight tomorrow for Katara, but every child deserves a smile.

**.0.**

"Touch me."

"Wait, are you sick?"

"No!"

"Then why do I need to touch you?"

"For love of- just do it!" Yue, who looks a complete mess, is standing in the middle of her bedroom in nothing but a large Christmas sweater. She holds her hands out again, palms up. Katara touches her hands- wait. She takes a steps back. Something's different, way different. She knows what it is. It's the two heartbeats she's sending off.

"Oh my God." Katara covers her mouth. "You're pregnant." Yue shrugs and tears fall down her red cheeks. She slumps back down on the bed and Katara stands there awkwardly. Shouldn't Yue be happy that she's pregnant? Who wouldn't be happy about expecting their first child? Even Katara was exited when she found out she was pregnant.

"Have you told Sokka?"

"No."

"What about Arnook? Shouldn't he-"

Yue looks at her with horror filled eyes. "I can't tell him! Please promise me you won't tell anyone about this!"

"Why not?"

"I'm not supposed to be pregnant- I'm not married yet!"

Oh. Katara forgot about that. If you're from the tribes a woman must be married before she gets pregnant, Katara doesn't knows what happens if a woman gets pregnant before that- wait, she does. She was damn near disowned.

"I'm only a month." She looks up at her with pleading blue eyes. "You have to help me."

"What do you need?"

"You're a water bender, which means you're a blood bender." Yue says intently with serious bloodshot eyes. She can't be saying what Katara thinks she's saying. "I need your help."

"You want me to…"

"I need you to."

Katara shakes her head in objection."Yue, please don't say that."

"Katara, I need you to kill this baby." She says seriously. "Now."

**.0.**

"You're the last person I expected to see here." Situ tells Zuko when he sits down beside him at the bar. "Thought you wouldn't be seen in another bar after what happened the last time."

"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere leaping for joy?" Zuko says sullenly. The barkeep comes and takes his order, one shot of bourbon on the rocks. He's learned to steer clear from the white liquor. Katara is at Yue's house handling some type of crisis. He's been forbidden to know what it is, not that he's actually worrying about it. He's more worried about the day after tomorrow. Situ scoffs at him and orders another glass, his eyes are set down at the green and gold napkin.

Two men that are in love with the same woman are sitting together at a bar. Who would've thought it would've came to this. Zuko only stares down at his drink when it's placed in front of him. He can barely see his reflection in the brown liquid.

"let me guess, you're hear because you come bearing me bad news? I doubt you've come all this way to share a drink with me."

"Im not going."

"You're not going where- oh." Situ looks over at him and then back down at his drink. "This just made things worse than they already are."

"She'll understand."

"Not this. Does she know?"

"She's hoping that I change my mind by the time she has to leave."

"She doesn't know you're still not going?"

"No."

"As head over heels as she is about you a long distance relationship shouldn't be that hard."

Zuko doesn't say anything. Situ freezes with his glass in midair. He sits it back down on the bar and stares at Zuko. "You've got to be kidding me."

"It's what I have to do."

"This just fucks up everything."

"It's what I have to do." Zuko repeats. "I don't want to, but I have to."

"No you don't."

"She'll Listen to you about this- seeing as though you're the only one who she doesn't attempt to lay hands on." Zuko says. "I don't

Know why."

"You have to tell her, because I'm not doing this. Contrary to popular belief, I don't want you to do this."

"You know it needs to be done just like she does. Jee and Zaheer are back- I can't have her here for that." At first Zuko didn't know situ, but then when he and Sokka were digging around in his background he realized that he had met him before at college. Zuko couldn't believe that he'd forgotten that, he always knew he looked familiar. Situ knows about Zaheer and Jee- they've crossed him too.

Situ tenses. "I see. Your reasons are understandable. But You're jeopardizing her future by doing this. Although, you are helping it as well. But look whose going to have to put up with the Aftermath of this mess?"

"You'd love to be her shoulder to lean on."

"That doesn't mean I want to see her miserable." He replies. "When you love someone you'll do whatever to make sure they're happy, even if it means letting them go."

There's a pause between the two men.

"She'll understand." Zuko swallows harshly and sighs deeply. He doesn't want to, but he has to.

"She'll never forgive you."

"But she'll be happy and she'll be safe, that's all that matters."

**.0.**

"You made it." Katara smiles brightly as she hugs her grandmother tightly. "How was the drive?"

"Too long, I would have rather flown out. Sokka drives too slow." Kanna pats her back and steps away so she can see her grand daughter better. "You've grown so much!"

Katara tugs on Zuko's arm to get his attention away from Sokka. "I've been eating more- this is Zuko, grams. He's-"

"-He's handsome. I hope you've been treating my granddaughter like a man should?"

"Of course." Zuko says back sincerely. As a matter of fact he treats her like a queen. Kanna doesn't say anything after that, she stands there checking out Zuko until Sokka pulls her away to go to her seat.

"What wrong?" Katara sees the troubled look on his face she holds his hand while her team finishes her outfit. They have her up on a pedestal and each of them are working on a specific job. "You've been quiet all day." She steps down.

"It's nothing."

"You're lying."

Zuko doesn't say anything back but he hugs her tightly and tells her good luck just as Situ calls her to go on stage. She watches Zuko's expression carefully and wraps her arms around his neck.

"Everything's fine, I promise." He kisses her forehead and uncoils her arms. "They're waiting on you. I'll be here when you get back. Alright?"

She nods. "Okay." She gives him one last look before she's escorted out to the bright stage.

_If I live to be a hundred_

_And never see the seven wonders_

_That'll be alright_

_If I don't make it to the big leagues_

_If I never win a Grammy_

_I'm gonna be just fine_

_Cause I know exactly who I am_

_I am Kanna's granddaughter_

_The spitting image of my mother_

_And when the day is done my father's still my biggest fan_

_Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy_

_But I've got friends that love me_

_And they know just where I stand_

_It's all a part of me_

_And that's who I am_

_So when I make a big mistake_

_And when I fall flat on my face_

_I know I'll be alright_

_Should my tender heart be broken_

_I will cry those teardrops knowing_

_I will be just fine_

_Cause nothing changes who I am_

_I am Kanna's granddaughter_

_The spitting image of my mother_

_And when the day is done my father's still my biggest fan_

_Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy_

_But I've got friends that love me_

_And they know just where I stand_

_It's all a part of me_

_And that's who I am_

_I'm a saint and I'm a sinner_

_I'm a loser; I'm a winner_

_I am steady and unstable_

_I'm young, but I am able_

_I am Kanna's granddaughter_

_The spitting image of my mother_

_And when the day is done my father's still my biggest fan_

_Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy_

_But I've got friends that love me_

_And they know where I stand_

_It's all a part of me_

_And that's who I am_

_I am Kanna's granddaughter_

_The spitting image of my mother_

_And when the day is done my father's still my biggest fan_

_Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy_

_But I've got friends that love me_

_And they know where I stand_

_It's all a part of me_

_And that's who I am_

_That's who I am _

_Sooner or later they say_

_That it all gets easier_

_Take it one tear at a time_

_I wake up one day_

_To find some closure_

_Shining like the sunlight through the blinds_

_No matter how much time make pass between us_

_You'll never be more than memory away_

_Cause I'll never forget you_

_No I'll never forget you_

_Whisper of the evening rain_

_On the bedroom window_

_Like the sky is missing you_

_The flicker of the candle flame_

_There's only one shadow_

_Oh, but I can still see two_

_No matter how much pain I have to go through_

_It's better than feeling nothing for you at all_

_Cause I'll never forget you_

_No I'll never forget you_

_When I'm sleeping_

_When I'm dreaming_

_Whenever when_

_I got the feeling that I'll never get you out of my mind _

_Oh and I'll never forget you_

_Oh, I'll never forget you (never forget you)_

_Never forget you, oh oh_

_Never forget you_

_When all our tears have reached the sea_

_Part of you will live in me_

_Way down deep inside my heart_

_The days keep coming without fail_

_A new wind is gonna find your sail_

_And that's where your journey starts_

_You'll find better love_

_Strong as it ever was_

_Deep as a river runs_

_Warm as a morning sun_

_Please remember me_

_Just like the waves down by the shore_

_We're gonna keep on coming back for more_

_'Cause we don't ever wanna stop_

_Out in this brave new world you seek_

_Oh the valleys and the peaks_

_And I can see you on the top_

_You'll find better love_

_Strong as it ever was_

_Deep as a river runs_

_Warm as a morning sun_

_Please remember me_

_Remember me when you're out walkin'_

_When the snow falls high outside your door_

_Late at night when you're not sleepin'_

_And moonlight falls across your floor_

_When I can't hurt you anymore_

_You'll find better love_

_Strong as it ever was_

_Deep as a river runs_

_Warm as a morning sun_

_Please remember me_

_Please remember me_

**.0.**

"Did you have to bring so much stuff?" Situ wrinkles his nose at all of her suitcases and bags. "Is this really necessary?"

"Of course it is." Katara sits down on the steps and smooths out her ponytail.

"Women." He mutters as he helps the others put away her things. He's been more kind than usual, it's completely out of his character. Maybe he's just in the Christmas spirit or something.

"I didn't know what to bring so I just bout everything." Katara shrugs and sticks her gloved hands in her coat pockets. It's six in the morning and she's about to board the plane to leave the city. She said all of her goodbyes to her friends and family last night, texted them all again this morning and promised that she would call them as soon as she lands. She hopes that Yue forgives her one day, she couldn't do that to Sokka,they'll get through that. Children are blessings, Yue will come to realize that. Now she's just waiting on Zuko to come, he's late. Hopefully he's thought about it and changed his mind.

"What are you waiting on? Let's go." Situ calls from the doorway of the private plane.

"I'm waiting on Zuko."

"For what?"

"What do you mean for what? Just go, he'll be here any minute." She shoos him away and sits back down on the steps. She can feel his eyes on her back for a moment and then he reluctantly goes in. She shivers, it's far too cold out here. She stands when she sees Zuko pull up into the plane chamber.

"I was starting to think that you weren't coming." She hugs him tightly. "So you're coming?" When his face falls and his hands tighten on her hips Katara should've known that she was going to be in for the heartbreak of her life.

"I'm still not coming Katara. I'm sorry."

She freezes for a moment and then shakes it off. "Well that's fine. There's always phone calls and text messages,we can always email and FaceTime each other. Not to mention that when you go on those business trips there's a good chance that we can…" her voice trails off. "What's the matter?"

"I'm not going on the tour with you, and I'm not… I'm- we can't be together anymore Katara." He says with disappointment in his voice. She drops his hands. "You have to understand that-"

She shakes her head and refuses to process what he's saying. He can't be, he has to be lying about this. What reason does he have? "You're breaking up with me?" Her voice comes out a weak whisper.

"I want you to be happy- fulfilling your life goals and dreams- but I don't want you hanging on to me every bit of the way and jeopardizing yourself and everything that you've worked for. I'm being pulled one way and you're being pulled the other way. We both know how these things end up Katara."

"End up how? You don't trust me enough to go out there on my own is that what you're saying?"

"I trust you Katara. But I want you with this. I trust you, and I love you enough to let you go in order for you to be happy. We both have things-" _SLAP_.

"I cannot believe you." She says with tears running down her cheeks and already reddened eyes. "I can't believe you're doing this to me, and today! Of all days!"

He doesn't move to sooth his sore cheek even after it turns red against his pale skin. "It's a year and a half Katara. You know this already, I don't want to do this either. Right now in your life… right now in my life too, you know this isn't what we need right now."

"Shut up Zuko." She chokes, Zuko attempts to touch her but she slaps his arms and hands away from her. "Just shut up!"

"You're happy- this stuff, all this makes you happy. I won't let myself distract you from this Katara. There's things going on that I don't want you a part of, I don't want you riled up in this-"

"Stop talking crazy and come with me, Zuko." She cries, the expression on his face is full of pain but also so full of composure and grief. He may be hurting, but she doubts that he's hurting the way she is right now. "Come with me, please. What's going on? Why won't you tell me anything?"

"It's for your own good katara."His eyes water but they don't spill over like her tears are dropping heavily on the concrete. They water, she's never even thought that Zuko was able to cry."I can't Katara, we can't. I'm sorry." She drops her hand.

"Fine." She sniffs and wipes her eyes, it doesn't do any good because the tears keep on falling one behind the other and sometimes two and three at a time. "Then I am going to get on this plane and I am going to forget about you."

"Katara…"

"No!" She holds a hand up. "I will forget about you- I won't think about you, I will not care about you…" she sobs uncontrollably.

"Stop it Katara, now you're not making any sense." His voice is heavy with emotion. "I'm not about to stop loving you if that's what you think, I'll never stop loving you." He reaches for her again and this time he makes her let him hold her. He squeezes her as tight as he can with his arms tight around her body. She sobs into his chest and beats him weakly with her fist.

"I don't want you to know anything. Just get on your plane and get out of here. Live out your dreams, and hate me, forget about me. Do whatever makes you happy but Katara, please." He kisses the top of her head and squeezes her again. "Go, get out of here."

It feels like her heart is being broken into a million pieces again, she's slipping again, slowly falling into that dark place that it took so much for her to crawl out from. Katara pulls away from him. "What did I do Zuko? Whatever it is I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. You're fine." He wipes her tears away. "Right now Katara, we can't do this." She looks down at her engagement ring, she swore to herself that she'd never remove it.

"But I'm… I'm-" what can she say? She twists the ring but doesn't remove it. His own tears fall at the sound of her shaky voice.

Zuko closes his eyes. "Get on your plane Katara, this is for your own good, trust me." He says lowly, she bites her bottom lip.

"Fine. I hope you know you've made the mistake of your life, Zuko." She's serious, calmer now but the tears won't stop flowing. He hates seeing her like this, he hates having to do this to her.

"I know I did." He agrees.

And when she boards the plane, only giving him a short second look, Zuko can feel his heart squeezing. When the plane takes off he can feel his heart shattering into a million and one pieces, but it's to keep her safe from his mistakes. He watches the plane disappear from sight and the last tears fall from his eyes.

Something small and white falls down onto his face, it's snow. Katara didn't get to witness the snow.

He wishes she could've stayed, he wishes he could've went- but at least now he can protect her.

She's not happy but at least she's alive, and Zuko knows they won't ever stop loving each other and that there's still hope for them after those eighteen months. You never stop loving someone, either you always will or you never did and Zuko won't ever stop.

.**0.**

**This story is now complete. **

**Songs: Miley Cyrus - can't be tamed **

**30 seconds to mars; Closer to the Edge**

**Danielle bradbery songs used: **

**- who I am **

**- I'll never forget you **

**- please remember me **

**Don't hate me. Expect a sequel soon. **

**- I'll have to really make up for this ending in the next story ...**


	28. epilogue

**I won't give up**

**XxToToXx**

**Epilogue**

He loved her, he still loves her.

When Zuko laid eyes on her he thought that she was the most beautiful creature that could ever grace this earth.

She was hurt before, had her heart ripped out her chest and the stomped on. The bandit even took pieces away after he damaged her. She was scared to open up to anyone, so scared to let herself be loved and cared for, so scared of trusting another man. She was a hollow shell, constantly covering up her emotions and pushing those who cared about her away.

She became unlovable and shut herself out.

But Zuko was different. He didn't run away because she was damaged damn near beyond repair, some men won't fix what they didn't break but Zuko did. He loved and cared for her unconditionally- no matter what they went through. He broke into her world bearing healing elixirs and soft words of comfort to sooth her soul. He gave her passion, he gave her reasons to love to again, he gave her hope and security.

He saved her from herself.

Katara laughed a little longer and louder, her smile became brighter, and her past slowly was pushed more and more into the back of her mind. Each day they spent together, each kiss, each hug, each laugh, even each fighter, her heart mended more and more. He gave her a love so bright, passionate, strong, and impenetrable.

Zuko is a man who would do anything for the woman he loves, would do anything to see her happy and safe and that even means letting her go.

You can never stop loving someone, either you always will or you never did.

Time, space or distance cannot sever the bond of Katara and Zuko, a love that has no comparison.

When his love boarded the plane and disappeared from his sight she took his heart with him, his heart along with an unborn child that he has yet to meet.

**.0.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting this story.**

**I love you all so much.**

**I'm not good at epilogues, but cheesehead101 made me want to try it.**

**Soooo, for you all, my dedicated readers, I will see you all again soon with the sequel to this story, I Won't Let You Go.**


	29. Chapter 29

**The Sequal To this story has been posted**


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